Army efforts to integrate Ladakhi people into mainstream

With the aim to integrate the people of eastern Ladakh into the national mainstream, the army has taken various initiatives like opening of schools and medical aid centres under its 'Operation Sadbhavana'.
"The army's Trishul Division has initiated 'Operation Sadbhavana' to integrate the population of Eastern Ladakh into the national mainstream," Jammu-based defense spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said.
He said that in pursuit of this vision, Indian Army has implemented numerous initiatives under Sadbhavana such as opening of army goodwill schools, medical aid centres, women empowerment centres and vocational training institutes for self-employment.
"Various infrastructure development projects such as electrification of villages, construction of buildings for government-run schools, construction of community halls and provision of solar street-lights at villages have also been undertaken by the Army which have vastly improved the quality of life of the local population," he said.

The Army has also been undertaking projects for ecological preservation and provisioning of stores for community development in the remote and far-flung areas of Eastern Ladakh, he said.
"As part of ongoing community development initiatives, a Sadbhavana event was organised at Village Tsaka wherein the villagers were provided with utility items. Representatives of Army, Sarpanch and Numbardar of the village and locals attended the event," he said.