From Two to Seven: Which Are the Five New Districts of Ladakh?

New Delhi: In a major administrative move, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday (April 27) announced the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory, calling it a “historic day” for the region. With this development, Ladakh will now have a total of seven districts, up from the existing two, Leh and Kargil.  

The Five New Districts 

The five newly created districts are:

1. Nubra
2. Sham
3. Changthang
4. Zanskar
5. Drass

In a post on X, the LG confirmed that he had approved the notification for their formation, describing it as a long-pending demand of the people.

"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, from the existing two," said the LG.

Proposal cleared earlier by MHA

The Lieutenant Governor stated that the move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal for a thriving and prosperous Ladakh. He claimed that the plan has previously been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in August 2024, under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"This transformative decision, already approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs in August 2024, under the leadership of Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, would strengthen grassroots governance, decentralise administration & ensures faster delivery of public services to the people of Ladakh, especially those in remote & far-flung areas," he said.

Governance push and regional impact

LG Saxena stated that the establishment of additional districts is likely to strengthen governance by decentralising administration and ensuring faster delivery of public services, particularly in distant areas. He also stated that the shift would open up new prospects for growth, jobs, and entrepreneurship.

"Creation of new districts, apart from bringing governance closer to citizens, will create new avenues for growth, employment, and entrepreneurship. 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," he added.

Ladakh is the largest Union Territory in terms of territory, covering 86,904 square kilometers, although it is the second least populous, with a population of 2.74 lakh according to the 2011 Census. It shares a border with China and Pakistan.

On August 5, 2019, the Union Home Ministry took direct administrative control of the region after the Centre divided the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, by repealing Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to the former state.