Step toward prosperity: PM; HM says committed to create abundant opportunities for Ladakhis: CEC, JTN, BJP laud decision; MP concerned
Yash Khajuria
Leh, Aug 26: In a major move aimed at decentralization of administrative functioning and reshaping the political landscape of Ladakh, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced the creation of five new districts in the union territory on Monday. The move, spearheaded by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah, is a significant step aimed at bringing governance and public welfare initiatives closer to the people of this vast and challenging region.
The new districts—Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang—will join the existing districts of Leh and Kargil, bringing the total to seven. This decision is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency of administrative processes and ensure that government schemes reach every corner of Ladakh, a region known for its expansive and difficult terrain.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the creation of the new districts as a milestone in Ladakh’s journey toward better governance and prosperity. In a post on social media platform X, Modi stated, “Creation of five new districts in Ladakh is a step towards better governance and prosperity. Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang will now receive more focused attention, bringing services and opportunities even closer to the people.”
Ladakh, currently divided into just two districts—Leh and Kargil—has faced significant challenges in delivering essential services and programs to remote communities. The large geographic area and low population density have made it difficult for the district administration to reach the grassroots level effectively. The creation of these new districts is anticipated to decentralize administrative functions, improve local governance, and facilitate the direct implementation of public welfare schemes.
In a statement, the MHA emphasized the strategic importance of this decision, noting, “Ladakh is a very large UT in terms of area, with currently only two districts—Leh and Kargil. Being extremely difficult and inaccessible, the district administration is facing many difficulties in reaching the grassroots level. After the formation of these districts, now all the public welfare schemes of the Central Government and Ladakh Administration will be able to reach the people easily.”
To ensure the smooth establishment of these new districts, the MHA has directed the Ladakh administration to form a committee to assess various aspects related to their creation. This includes determining the headquarters, boundaries, administrative structure, and necessary staffing. The committee is expected to submit its report within three months, after which the final proposal will be sent to the MHA for further action.
The Chief Executive Councillor of LAHDC Leh, Tashi Gyalson in a congratulatory message hailed the decision as a ‘transformative’ and said that the people of Ladakh, who stand to benefit greatly from this transformative development. He emphasized that this step would usher in a new era of progress and prosperity in the region.
“We at the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) express our deepest gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visionary leadership and support in realizing this dream,” said CEC Tashi Gyalson. “His dedication to Ladakh’s advancement is truly commendable.”
The CEC also expressed his sincere thanks to the Ministry of Home Affairs for their instrumental role in facilitating this crucial advancement. Additionally, he acknowledged the contributions of the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig. Dr. B.D. Mishra (Retd.), whose leadership has been vital in achieving this significant milestone.
Expressing profound gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Member of Parliament and senior BJP leader Jamyang Tsering Namgyal described the decision as a “historic gift” to the people of Ladakh, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the region.
The announcement, made by Home Minister Amit Shah on X (formerly Twitter) on the auspicious occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, marks a significant milestone in Ladakh’s development. Namgyal emphasized the strategic and cultural importance of the newly established districts, which will enhance governance and bring government schemes closer to the people in these remote areas.
“Successive governments in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State—whether it was the National Conference, Congress, or the People’s Democratic Party—always treated the Ladakh region step-motherly,” Namgyal said. “But under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, several initiatives have been taken for the development of Ladakh, including the creation of Ladakh as a separate division in 2018, the designation of Ladakh as a Union Territory in 2019, and now this historic decision to create five new districts.”
The new districts will cover Ladakh’s vast landmass of 60,000 square kilometers, which was previously divided into Leh and Kargil districts. The five new districts—Zanskar, Nubra, Changthang, Drass, and Sham Valley—are strategically and culturally significant regions, some of which are located along sensitive borders.
“Zanskar, the oldest tehsil in the entire Union Territory, has long awaited this moment,” Namgyal noted. “Nubra, a landlocked region sharing a border with Pakistan and Siachen; Changthang, the region where the Galwan incident occurred and which holds great strategic importance for national security; Drass, home to the Shina and Noor Baksh communities and sharing a border with Gurez in Kashmir; and Sham Valley, with its vast landmass—these areas will now benefit from dedicated district commissioners and better access to government schemes.”
“This decision is a moment of great jubilation for every Ladakhi. We extend our heartiest gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for this gift,” he said.
However, the announcement has also raised questions from the opposition.
Haneefa Jan, Member of Parliament for Ladakh, has warmly welcomed the recent decision by Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, to create five new districts within the Union Territory of Ladakh: Drass, Sham, Zanskar, Changthang, and Nubra. The MP hailed the move as a significant step towards enhancing governance and administrative efficiency in the region, asserting that it will bring government services closer to the people and improve local administration.
Despite this praise, Jan expressed profound concerns over what he described as a critical oversight in the decision-making process. He pointed out that several vital areas, including the densely populated Sanko Subdivision, Shakar-Chiktan, Shargole, and Sot in District Kargil, were not included in the new district arrangements. These regions are not only crucial for the socio-economic development of Ladakh but also hold strategic importance.
The MP’s statement highlighted a potential issue of equitable development and representation, noting that the exclusion of these significant areas raises questions about fair treatment and the distribution of resources. Jan further emphasized that the omission of these regions could marginalize the majority Muslim population of Ladakh, a scenario that he finds deeply troubling.
“Ladakh should stand as a beacon of justice and equality,” Jan asserted. “The oversight in this decision could undermine the principles of justice and inclusivity that our region values.”
In a call for unity, Jan urged the people of Ladakh, regardless of their faith or background, to collectively advocate for the reconsideration of the restructuring plan. He stressed that a fair and comprehensive review of the proposed districts is necessary to ensure that all communities within Ladakh are properly represented and served.
Jan concluded his statement with a direct appeal to the Government of India: “I urge the authorities to address this oversight swiftly and ensure that the principles of justice, equity, and inclusivity are upheld in the administrative restructuring process.”
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh questioned whether the new districts would have elected Autonomous Hill Development Councils (AHDCs) and whether these councils would have a more significant say in budget allocations. Ramesh pointed out that the existing AHDCs in Leh and Kargil have control over less than 10% of the total expenditure allocated to Ladakh, with the remaining 90% under the control of the Lieutenant Governor and the bureaucracy.
“Will the elected AHDCs have a much more meaningful and relevant say in how budgets are spent?” Ramesh asked, highlighting concerns over the extent of local governance in the newly formed districts.
The creation of new districts is seen as part of the Modi government’s broader commitment to fostering development and creating opportunities for the people of Ladakh. Ladakh was designated a union territory in August 2019, following the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and the abrogation of Article 370.
Ladakh currently consists of two districts, Leh and Kargil, each governed by its own autonomous district council. With the formation of the new districts, Ladakh’s total number of districts will increase to seven.
Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 had divided the state into separate Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir with Assembly and Ladakh without legislature. Being a UT, Ladakh comes under the direct administrative control of the Home Ministry.
Political activist Sajjad Kargilli welcomed the move but urged the Central government to clarify if the new districts will be fully functional with all powers and responsibilities.
He wrote on X, “We welcome the decision taken by the Government of India. However, I appeal for an amendment to include the Suru Valley region as a district as well. Not giving district status to the Sankoo Suru region is an injustice towards the people of that region. Moreover, it is also important to clarify whether these new districts will be fully functional with all powers and responsibilities, or if they will resemble the sub-divisions created earlier, where powers were not been transferred to them till today.”
Notably, the development comes just two days after the Leh Apex Body (LAB) announced a foot march from Leh to Delhi next month to urge the Centre to resume the stalled dialogue with the leadership of Ladakh on their four-point agenda.
Announcing the peaceful march from Leh to the national capital, co-chairman of LAB Chering Dorjey Lakruk said a minimum 100 volunteers accompanied by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk will start walking from Leh on September 1 and reach Delhi on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2.
