SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure | SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
Institutions: Union Territory of Ladakh | Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
In a public address during the Digital Innovation Summit 2025 in Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh’s Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta highlighted the region’s strides in digital governance despite its challenging terrain. Initiatives include: full BharatNet coverage across 193 Gram Panchayats; mobile connectivity in 234 of 243 villages; sanctions for 175+ mobile towers including solar-powered ones in border zones; the deployment of “MedLEaPR” (a medico-legal digital system); digitisation of land records under DILRMP; and efforts toward 100 percent digital coverage in e-office, scholarships, e-certificates, and cashless payments. The UT administration also plans for major clean energy and power infrastructure projects, such as a 200 MW solar plant with battery storage and a 220 kV Drass–Zanskar transmission line, to support its digital and economic ambitions.
Ladakh’s push demonstrates how frontier regions can leapfrog development challenges through digital infrastructure and service design tailored to low-density zones. The scale and ambition of its agenda make it a potential model for other remote areas in India and signal how subnational entities can drive national digital leadership. Combined with central mandates (e.g. Digital India), such examples help validate investment in connectivity, resilience, and human capital in challenging geographies.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can the Centre and other states learn from Ladakh’s model to replicate digital inclusion in other remote and difficult terrain regions, while ensuring sustainability and local capacity?
Follow the full news here: Ladakh Govt – e-Governance Revolution in Ladakh