Latest news with #LAB
The Hindu
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
What is new in Ladakh's government job reservation policy?
The story so far: On June 3, President Droupadi Murmu notified four Regulations for the Union Territory (U.T.) of Ladakh, defining new policies on reservation, languages, domiciles, and composition of hill councils for Ladakh, which became a Union Territory in 2019. The notified regulations were The Ladakh Official Languages Regulation, 2025; The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation, 2025; The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2025; and The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025. What did the policies entail? The Regulations pave the way for 85% reservation for resident Ladakhis in government jobs. The Rules notified empowered the tehsildar to issue the domicile certificates. To be considered 'domiciles' and thus eligible for the 5% quota in government jobs in the U.T., non-local residents must prove a continuous 15-year stay in the U.T. starting from October 31, 2019. Added with the 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Sections, the total government job reservation in the U.T. now stands at 95%, one of the highest in the country. According to the 2011 Census, Ladakh's population is 2,74,289, and nearly 80% are tribals. The U.T. has a majority Buddhist population in Leh and a sizeable Muslim population in Kargil. Another recently notified policy said that at least one-third of the seats in the hill councils of Leh will be reserved for women, on a rotational basis across jurisdictions, and the official languages of the U.T. will be English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi. Why were the policies notified? After the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution was read down on August 5, 2019, the former State was split into two Union Territories — J&K and Ladakh, the latter without a legislative Assembly. After initial euphoria, the Ladakhi civil society groups began protests demanding protection of land, resources, and employment. Concerns arising out of big businesses and outsiders acquiring land and jobs led people to protest and observe shutdowns. Cutting across party lines, locals and a former BJP MP demanded restoration of protection as granted under Article 35A of the Constitution, which was revoked with Article 370 in 2019. Article 35A lets the J&K legislature decide the 'permanent residents' in the former State, prohibits a non-J&K resident from buying property, and ensures job reservation for its residents. In 2020, the People's Movement for Constitutional Safeguard or the Leh Apex Body (LAB) was formed, backed by the powerful Ladakh Buddhist Association. In 2021, the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance came together to fight for constitutional safeguards for the region. Together, they came up with four key demands: inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (giving tribal status and autonomy over land), Statehood, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts, and filling of existing government vacancies. What was the government's reaction? On January 2, 2023, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a high-powered committee (HPC) chaired by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai for talks with civil society groups. The committee was rejected by the groups as the latter suspected it of having only pro-government members. The committee was reconstituted on November 30, 2023. Even as the committee met, the talks broke down in March 2024. On October 6, 2024, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk sat on an indefinite fast in Delhi to draw the government's attention to their demands, following which the Ministry of Home Affairs agreed to resume the talks. The HPC, including leaders from Leh and Kargil, met on December 3, 2024, followed by another meeting on January 15, 2025. The committee met again on May 27, where the contours of the domicile and reservation policy were hammered out. What is next? Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, the president of Ladakh Buddhist Association and co-convenor of the LAB, who is also part of the HCP, said that they will continue to demand Statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. 'Only one chapter, that of government jobs, is closed. The talks with the government will continue over issues such as the protection of land and constitutional safeguards. So far, we have not raised the issue of land with the government,' Mr. Lakruk said. Before the policies were notified, the high-powered committee members were invited by Union Home Minister Amit Shah for a tea party at the latter's residence. 'The Home Minister assured us that all other issues will remain under discussion,' Mr. Lakruk said.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ladakh: Satisfied, but statehood main issue, says Buddhist association
President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) and former minister, Chering Dorjay Lakrook, on Wednesday largely expressed satisfaction over Centre's notifications on domicile law and job reservations for locals. However, he said that statehood and constitutional safeguards enshrined under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to the strategic Himalayan region still remain the main agenda for the people of Ladakh, including the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA). 'The Centre's notifications on domicile law prescribing 15-year residency with prospective effect and 85% reservation to locals in jobs have been accepted by us,' he said. 'However, conditions like having studied for seven years and appeared in class 10 and 12 exams were not discussed by the Union ministry of home affairs with us. We will take up these clauses with the government,' he added. The former minister, who is also a member of the LAB, admitted that the LAB and KDA had arrived at a unanimous consensus for either taking 1989 as a cut-off year or 30-year prospective residency for the domicile law. 'But the government (Centre) didn't agree upon 1989 as the cut-off year. On 30-year prospective residency, the Centre told us that it will be a time consuming exercise involving law ministry and other allied departments. Though the Centre has assured us to do it, we also realised that we could not waste further time. We have already waited for six years and the career of our youth is at stake. For the past over six years, not a single gazetted job has been given in Ladakh,' he added. The LBA chief elaborated that 15 year prospective residency will come into effect from October 31, 2019. On public service commision in Ladakh, he informed that the Centre has given them three options of UPSC directly conducting Ladakh's exams, Ladakh having its own PSC or J&K PSC conducting exams for Ladakh. 'We have conveyed that any of the three options deemed appropriate by the Centre is acceptable to us,' he said. However, the veteran leader amply made it clear that statehood and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution remain the core agenda for Ladakh people. 'Talks are yet to take place on statehood and Sixth Schedule. We also want an additional Lok Sabha constituency for the region, but that's not possible before 2026 because of a rider imposed by the Supreme Court,' he said. Ladakh as of date has only one parliamentary constituency. In 2023, the Union home ministry had formed a high-powered committee under minister of state Nityanand Rai to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture.
The Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- The Wire
‘Issue of Statehood and Sixth Schedule Unresolved': Ladakh Leaders as Union Govt Notifies New Rules
Srinagar: The new reservation and domicile policies brought out by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP)-led Union government for Ladakh have fallen short of addressing widespread concerns over the constitutional disempowerment and suspension of democracy in the border region following its separation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. 'For us, the main issue of statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh in Sixth Schedule remains unresolved,' Leh Apex Body (LAB) leader Chering Dorjay, who has been leading talks with the Union government over the last more than two years along with members of Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), told The Wire . He added, 'While we welcome the new measures, we want the government to talk about restoration of statehood now and granting of constitutional safeguards for Ladakh in some form. The job reservation was a small problem which should have been solved much earlier but the government sat on the matter unnecessarily for a long time.' Environmentalist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk, who has been protesting against the alleged disempowerment of Ladakh in the aftermath of its separation from J&K in 2019 and demotion into a Union territory (UT) without a legislature, said that the reservation policy was the least important demand of the LAB-KDA combine. 'In urgency, it (reservation policy) was the highest, but in importance it was the lowest. They (LAB-KDA combine) seem to have mutually decided (with the Union government) on picking the low hanging fruit first,' Wangchuk said, adding that the government didn't concede the demand of the LAB-KDA combine to set the condition of 30 years continuous residency for a non-local in Ladakh to obtain domicile certificate. The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralization and Recruitment (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, which was notified by President Droupadi Murmu along with a set of new regulations on Monday (June 2) and Tuesday (June 3), sets 15-year continuous residency from October 31, 2019 for a non-local to obtain domicile certificate among other rules. The rules for obtaining domicile certificate have been laid out in the Ladakh Civil Services Domicile Certificate Rules, 2025. Ladakhi leader Mohammad Haneefa Jan, who won the region's only Lok Sabha seat in 2024 general election as an independent candidate, said that the new domicile policy was 'meaningless' in the absence of restoration of Ladakh's statehood. 'The government had agreed on a new domicile policy earlier also, so there is nothing new in it, especially because the LAB and KDA leaderships' demand of 30 years continuous residence has not been conceded by the Union government,' he said. While the rules governing the new regulations are yet to be specified, LAB chief Dorjay said that 95% jobs (including 10% for 'Economically Weaker Section' category) were now reserved for local domiciles under the Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, 2025, which was also notified on Tuesday. The new regulation increases the cap on reservation in government jobs in Ladakh from 50% to 85% for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and other educationally and socially backward groups. 'Even if outsiders become domiciles of Ladakh after 2034, they can only compete for five percent of jobs while 95 percent jobs are reserved for original residents which is the highest in the country,' Dorjay said. He said that unlike in Jammu and Kashmir which got a domicile policy with retrospective effect after 2019, the policy in Ladakh has a prospective effect, 'The policy has been extended to admissions to medical, engineering and other professional institutions in Ladakh,' Dorjay said. According to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, Ladakh has more than 83% tribal population and the new rules are seen as an attempt by the BJP to quell widespread public anger over the erosion of Ladakh's unique identity and appropriation of work opportunities in the government by outsiders post 2019. However, Ladakhi leader Jan, who is also a member of a high-powered committee set up by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in 2023 to examine the four-point demands of LAB-KDA combine, said that the main issue of negotiations was the 'restoration of democracy' in Ladakh. 'The country came out of the British colonial rule in 1947 but Ladakh has been pushed into slavery since 2019. We have no role in policymaking and the imported bureaucratic regime has turned Ladakh into an arena of slavery. The government should now focus on resolving the main issues,' he said. Wangchuk, who went on hunger strikes twice last year to demand constitutional safeguards under Sixth Schedule, also cautioned that the 15-years clause in the new domicile policy has not gone down well among the people of Ladakh. 'They were hoping for at least 30 years of continuous residence and the new regulation has not made them too happy. It was, however, important to address this issue because all the vacancies in the government are blocked which is not good for the administration to run the system and it is not good for the youth of Ladakh to remain unemployed,' he said. Wangchuk said that the next two meetings between the Ladakh civil society and the MHA were going to be crucial to determine the future course of the agitation. He said that many people are projecting the regulations on reservation and domicile as 'some kind of resolution' for the problems in Ladakh 'which is far from truth'. 'If the central government sincerely discusses safeguards under Sixth Schedule and restoration of democracy and statehood, then people would be very happy. But if they don't and hold the hill council elections, then it will impact the credibility of any democratic process,' he said. In the 2020 Hill Council election, the promise to include Ladakh in Sixth Schedule figured among the top three agendas of the BJP's election manifesto for the border region. According to the manifesto, the party promised to protect 'land, job and environment' by bringing 'constitutional safeguards under Sixth Schedule' with the agenda of 'political empowerment' of Ladakh following its separation from Jammu and Kashmir. 'It completes a full circle,' Wangchuk said of the BJP's reference to the Sixth Schedule in its election manifesto, 'If that promise is not fulfilled again, then consequences will be seen in the election as was seen in the 2024 parliamentary election when the BJP lost in Ladakh because in 2019 parliamentary election, they had promised to include Ladakh in Sixth Schedule and failed to fulfil it.' He added, 'In a democracy, people send a message through the electoral process which is what might happen again after the parliamentary election in the hill council election towards the end of September this year.' Among a series of notifications issued by President Murmu also includes the Ladakh Official Languages Regulation, 2025 which recognises English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi as official languages of the Union Territory with making recommendations about their use, and The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation, 2025 under which one-third of seats in Hill Councils in Kargil and Leh would be reserved for women. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Ladakh: Statehood issue yet to be addressed, say Kargil leaders
With the Union government notifying new rules for Ladakh, allowing reservation in government jobs for locals, a 15-year residency requirement for domicile status, one-third of seats in hill councils for women, and five official languages as part of efforts to safeguard the region's interests, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has said statehood is a big issue for it. At the same time, it also said 'something is better than nothing'. The KDA, along with the Leh Apex Body (LAB), has been spearheading an agitation in Ladakh, seeking statehood, safeguards enshrined under the sixth schedule of the Constitution and a separate public service commission (PSC) for the strategic Himalayan region. In 2023, the Union home ministry had formed a high-powered committee under minister of state Nityanand Rai to discuss ways to protect Ladakh's unique culture, considering its location and strategic importance. Reacting to the Centre's notifications, KDA's senior leader and political in-charge of Jamiat ul Ulama Isna Ashariya Kargil (JUIAK), Sajjad Hussain Kargili, said, 'Though it's good, women reservation was not a part of our four-point agenda. We have been agitating for legislature. Statehood is a big issue for us.' On domicile law, Kargili said, 'Something is better than nothing. In the past six years, not even a single gazetted post (job) has been given in Ladakh.' 'We also arrived at a consensus that domicile law of 15 years should be implemented prospectively. At the same time, we want it to be made 30 years. The government has assured us to consider it,' said Kargili. 'We hope that without further delay, the Ladkah administration will now advertise jobs,' he said. Congress' Tsering Namgyal, leader of the Opposition in Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council of Leh, welcomed 33% reservation for women in hill councils. He lambasted the Centre for fixing 15-year residency for domicile law and described it a ploy to change the demography of Ladakh. 'The LAB and the KDA wanted 1989 as the cut-off year to grant domicile certificates. This 15-year residency rule has been rejected by 80% to 90% people of Ladakh,' he said. Chering Dorjay Lakrook, ex-BJP minister and president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, refused to make any comment. 'After we study them (notifications), we will address media on Wednesday. Till then, I have been asked not to talk to mediapersons,' he said. The Ladakh Civil Services Decentralisation and Recruitment (Amendment) regulation was notified days after the ministry and Ladakhi representatives met on May 27 and agreed to the rules, an official aware of the matter said. It defines a domicile for jobs for a person who has resided in the UT for 15 years, studied for seven years, and appeared for class 10 or 12 examinations in Ladakh. A similar policy was announced for Jammu and Kashmir in May 2020. The Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation, also notified on Tuesday, says the reservation shall in no case exceed 85% of the available vacancies, excluding reservation for economically weaker sections. The official cited above said 80% of vacancies are reserved for the region's majority, scheduled tribes (STs), 4% for those living along the Line of Actual Control or Line of Control, 1% for the scheduled castes and 10% for the economically weaker sections. The ministry had proposed 95% of the reservation for locals during discussions. The third notification provides for one-third seats for women in the hill councils by rotation to different territorial constituencies. The Ladakh Official Languages Regulation recognises English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti, and Purgi as the official languages and says that the administrator 'shall make special efforts for the promotion and development of other native languages of Ladakh: Shina (Dardic), Brokskat (Dardic), Balti and Ladakhi'.
Fibre2Fashion
3 days ago
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
India's LAB prices dip amid rising imports & softening feedstock costs
India's surfactant sector still relies heavily on linear alkyl benzoene (LAB), with local demand expected to reach over 720 KTA in fiscal 2024 (FY24) and 767 KTA in fiscal 2025 (FY25) with a growth rate of CAGR 6.53 per cent. Due in large part to India's expanding presence in the global soap and detergent industry, the market has demonstrated resilience in the face of global challenges. India's LAB demand is rising, but prices fell from ₹132/kg (~$1.55/kg) in Jan to ₹129/kg (~$1.51/kg) in May 2025 due to weak upstream costs, rising regional supply, and cautious buyer sentiment. Imports are expected to ease with IOCL's capacity ramp-up. Prices may drop ₹3â€'7/kg (~$0.04â€'$0.08/kg) from Junâ€'Aug 2025 amid stable but soft LABSA demand and higher feedstock availability. In fiscal 2023 (FY23), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) increased its LAB production capacity from 120 KTA to 162 KTA in order to meet the growing demand. However, India's LAB production fell to 400 KTA in FY23 from 457 KTA the year before as a result of planned shutdowns and de-bottlenecking efforts. With the exception of Reliance Industries Ltd's 60 KTA halted plant, the domestic operating rate was 93 per cent. This shortfall in production was offset by a rise in imports, which peaked at 337 KTA in FY23. With IOCL's capacity enhancement now complete, imports are expected to moderate, reflected in a projected 281 KTA and 310 KTA import level for FY25 and fiscal 2026 (FY26). Current Market Drivers (as of April–May 2025): From January to April 2025, Indian Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) prices showed a moderating trend. Starting the year at around ₹132 per kg in Jan 2025. However, by April 2025, a notable downward correction occurred. The decline continued into May 2025 around ₹129 per kg. This sustained reduction aligns with broader market dynamics, including weaker upstream costs, increased regional supply post-turnarounds, and softening buyer sentiment. Despite earlier resistance from suppliers, the growing supply and downward pressure on feedstock prices have begun to weigh on LAB prices in the Indian market. Downward Pressure on Prices: Falling Naphtha Prices: A major feedstock for LAB production, naphtha prices have declined significantly due to weak crude markets and improved refining margins. Negative Market Sentiment: Buyers are cautious, driven by sluggish demand recovery and global economic uncertainties. Plant Restarts in Asia: Key LAB production facilities in Asia have resumed operations post-maintenance, boosting regional supply. Expected LAB Price Trend in India (June–August 2025) Forecast: Indian Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) prices are expected to remain under pressure or decline modestly in the next quarter (June to August 2025), Overall, a gradual decline of ₹3–7/kg is expected over the next quarter. Reasons for the Expected Trend: 1. Weak Upstream Cost Support: Benzene and naphtha prices are on a declining trajectory Lower feedstock prices reduce cost push on LAB, encouraging sellers to lower offers. 2. Rising Regional Supply: Post-turnaround plant restarts in China and South Korea have increased LAB availability in the Asian market. Greater availability of feedstock normal paraffins may ease production constraints, further softening prices. 3. Buyer Sentiment & Inventory: Indian buyers remain cautious and price-sensitive, with ample inventory coverage. Expectation of lower offers is delaying procurement, reinforcing downward price pressure. 4. Stable but Soft Downstream LAS Demand: While the LABSA market is steady. Buyers are continuing to seek price reductions, aligning with upstream softness. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (VK)
