Early Times Report LEH, Nov 19: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, today launched a dedicated online service for sanctioning new domestic and commercial water connections through the Ladakh eSeva platform-marking a major leap in digital public service delivery in the Union Territory. The newly introduced system enables residents to apply for tap water connections and track their application status online, eliminating paperwork, avoiding repeated office visits, and ensuring a smoother, more citizen-friendly process. Speaking at the launch, the Lt Governor underscored the importance of digital governance in a geographically challenging region like Ladakh, where remote settlements and extreme climatic conditions often limit physical access to government offices. He said the eSeva Water Connection Service will bring services closer to people, strengthen transparency, and improve administrative efficiency in line with the Hon'ble Prime Minister's vision of Digital India. The Lt Governor appreciated the PHE Department and NIC UT Ladakh for their work in developing the service, noting that it will significantly accelerate processing timelines and enhance the ease of doing business in the region. Emphasising sustainable water management, the Lt Governor also instructed the PHE Department to put in place a robust and streamlined water fee collection mechanism to ensure long-term service quality and financial sustainability. Earlier, Administrative Secretary PHE, Shri Rahul Sharma, presented an overview of the portal's design and objectives. He highlighted that the system is aligned with the Union Government's push for digital transformation and shared upcoming plans to integrate fee collection for water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission, to be managed by local Pani Samitis. The event was attended by Chief Secretary Dr. Pawan Kotwal, State Informatics Officer Shri Sunil Kaul, Senior Director NIC UT Ladakh Shri Punchok Paldan, and senior officials from NIC and the PHE Department. |