New Delhi/Leh,Apr28 (BNP): In a landmark administrative move, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh has approved the creation of five new districts—Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass—raising the total number of districts in the Union Territory from two to seven.
The decision is aimed at decentralising governance, improving administrative efficiency, and bringing government services closer to people living in Ladakh’s remote and far-flung Himalayan regions. The existing districts of Leh and Kargil will now be joined by the five newly carved districts.
Officials said the reorganisation is expected to significantly reduce travel time for residents who currently have to cover long distances to access district headquarters and government offices. Faster service delivery, better implementation of welfare schemes, and improved access to public services are among the key objectives of the expansion.
The move is also aligned with the Centre’s broader vision of strengthening grassroots governance and ensuring balanced regional development in strategically important border areas. The proposal had earlier received approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2024.
Apart from administrative convenience, the creation of new districts is expected to open fresh avenues for infrastructure development, employment generation, tourism promotion, and local economic growth.
The decision has been welcomed as a transformative step that will strengthen governance and accelerate progress across the Union Territory of Ladakh.
