Ladakh to get five new districts before Amit Shah’s visit, governance push by MHA

Three days before the much-publicised two-day visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the mountainous region of Ladakh, the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory, Vinai Kumar Saxena, approved the notification for the creation of five more districts.

As reported earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is arriving in Leh on April 30 for a two-day visit to Ladakh.

The issuance of a formal notification for the creation of five new districts in Ladakh is being seen as a major confidence-building measure aimed at creating a conducive atmosphere ahead of the resumption of stalled dialogue between agitating groups in Ladakh and the High-Powered Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“A historic day for Ladakh. I have approved the notification for the creation of five new districts in Ladakh, fulfilling the aspirations and long-pending demand of the people of Ladakh.

With the creation of five new districts—Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass—Ladakh will now have seven districts, up from the existing two. This development is aligned 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 Union Home Minister 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,” the Lieutenant Governor posted on his official social media handle.

“The creation of new districts, apart from bringing governance closer to citizens, will create new avenues for growth, employment and entrepreneurship,” he stated, adding, “I reaffirm my commitment to ensuring that every citizen of Ladakh benefits from this historic decision as we move together towards a brighter, stronger and more prosperous future.”

Decision to create five more districts taken 20 months ago

The historic decision to create five more districts in the Union Territory of Ladakh was taken on August 26, 2024, when the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) decided to create five new districts in the Union Territory.

Informing about this decision in a post on the ‘X’ platform, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had stated on August 26, 2024, that the new districts—Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang—would take governance closer to the people by ensuring that benefits reach their doorsteps and by strengthening administration in every nook and corner. With the formation of these districts, Ladakh now has a total of seven districts, including Leh and Kargil.

Ladakh is a vast Union Territory in terms of geographical area and currently has only two districts—Leh and Kargil. It is also one of the least populated regions of India. Due to its difficult terrain and inaccessibility, the district administration has faced significant challenges in reaching the grassroots level.

With the formation of these new districts, public welfare schemes of the central government and the Ladakh administration will be able to reach people more effectively, enabling a larger section of the population to benefit. This important decision of the MHA is expected to significantly contribute to the overall development of Ladakh.

Along with granting “in-principle approval” for the formation of five new districts, the Ministry of Home Affairs had directed the Ladakh Administration to constitute a committee to examine various aspects related to the creation of the districts, including headquarters, boundaries, administrative structure, creation of posts, and other related matters, and submit its report within three months. After receiving the report, the Union Territory of Ladakh was to forward the final proposal for the creation of new districts to the Home Ministry for further action.