Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, April 27 

Authorities in Ladakh have approved the creation of five new districts, days before a scheduled visit by Home Minister Amit Shah, officials said on Monday.

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena cleared the notification, raising the total number of districts in the sparsely populated cold desert region to seven from two.

The newly created districts are Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass. 

Officials said three districts – Nubra, Sham, and Changthang – have been carved out of Leh, while Zanskar and Drass have been formed from Kargil.

The decision follows approval granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2024 after consultations and field assessments.

Saxena described the move as “historic” in a post on social media platform X, saying it would bring governance closer to people in remote and border areas, improve public service delivery and support development.

“The creation of new districts will strengthen grassroots governance, decentralise administration and open new avenues for growth and employment,” he said.

The move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for developing Ladakh, officials said.

Residents in regions like Nubra, Zanskar, and Drass have long demanded separate district status, citing difficult terrain, long travel distances to administrative centres, and limited access to services.

Ladakh became a separate union territory in 2019 after New Delhi revoked the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, splitting it into two territories.

Officials said the reorganisation is expected to improve administrative efficiency and create jobs through new government offices and infrastructure in the high-altitude region.