Ladakh gets five new districts in governance push, total now seven

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday approved the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory, stating that the move would strengthen grassroots governance and decentralise administration.

Saxena announced the decision days ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah's visit to Leh on April 30, where he is scheduled to chair a security review and assess developmental projects.

"A historic day for Ladakh. I have approved the notification for creation of five new districts in Ladakh, fulfilling the aspirations and long pending demand of the people of Ladakh," Saxena said in a post on X. With the creation of five new districts - Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass - Ladakh will now have seven districts, up from the existing two.


Saxena said the move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed and prosperous Ladakh. "This transformative decision, already approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2024, under the leadership of Amit Shah, will strengthen grassroots governance, decentralise administration and ensure faster delivery of public services to the people of Ladakh, especially those in remote and far-flung areas," he said.

The LG added that the creation of new districts, apart from bringing governance closer to citizens, will create new avenues for growth, employment and entrepreneurship.

The Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, which has been advocating for statehood and the implementation of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in Ladakh, welcomed Shah's visit to Leh, calling it a golden opportunity for trust-building and meaningful, constructive dialogue.

"We urge the Union minister to announce an unconditional withdrawal of cases against 83 people who were arrested after the September 24 incidents, most of whom were innocent and included members of religious organisations who had gone to stop the violence. Compensation should also be provided to the families of those who died and to the 80 others who were crippled in indiscriminate police firing carried out without proper orders," the representatives said.

They also urged Shah to hold a meeting with representatives of the Apex Body Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance to take final decisions on their pending demands.