Ladakh gets 5 new districts; locals welcome decision

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced Monday the creation of five new districts in Ladakh, raising their number to seven in a decision welcomed by local people as fulfilment of their long-pending demand.

The new districts are: Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang.

However, the Leh Apex Body, which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance is fighting for their four major demands including granting of statehood and extension of sixth schedule of the Constitution, said they will continue their peaceful struggle.

In a post on X, Shah said the Union Home Ministry has decided to create the five new districts in pursuit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh.

"The new districts, namely Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang, will take the benefits meant for the people to their doorstep by bolstering governance in every nook and cranny," he said.

Leh and Kargil were the only two districts in Ladakh, the largest union territory in terms of area but the second least populous. It has an expanse of 86,904 square kilometers bordering China and Pakistan, with a population of 2.74 lakh according to the 2011 census.

The home minister said the Modi government is committed to creating abundant opportunities for the people of Ladakh.

Ladakh was carved out of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and declared a UT after the state was divided into two UTs on August 5, 2019.

On that day five years ago, Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state, was also abrogated. Being a UT, Ladakh comes under the direct administrative control of the union home ministry.

Prime Minister Modi hailed the creation of the new districts as 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 people, he said, congratulating them.

He said on X, "Creation of five new districts in Ladakh is a step towards better governance and prosperity."

Former BJP MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal termed the centre's announcement a 'Janmashtami' gift for the people of Ladakh.

"In 2018, the BJP granted Ladakh a separate division and also fulfilled the demand for UT next year besides enhancing the budget to Rs 6,000 crore. We welcome the decision which is in accordance with the aspirations of the people," he said, highlighting his role for raising the issue with the government during his tenure between 2019 and 2024.

He also praised the Ladakh Lt Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mirsha for his efforts in granting the five new districts to the region.

"I am thankful to home minister and Modi government on behalf of the people of Ladakh for announcing five new districts to Ladakh which was a long pending demand of the people, especially Zanskar region," said Sonam Wangchuk, a climate activist and a member of the Leh Apex Body.

He said the decision is in accordance with the promise made by the BJP to the people of these areas but "we have to see whether these are just administrative districts or democratic units wherein they have autonomous district councils like Leh and Kargil".

Wangchuk reminded the BJP of its promise of extending sixth schedule of the Constitution to the region and said the government must address the primary demand of the people for safeguards otherwise the struggle of the locals would continue.

The Congress' Ladakh president Nawang Rigzin Jora also welcomed the Centre's decision but said just creating administrative districts would not save environment, culture and identity of the people of Ladakh for which they are on the streets for the last over four years.

"Creating five more districts further strengthens our demand for statehood because the UT of Pondicherry with only four districts has a legislative assembly. Ladakh is strategically located and the demands of its people are justified," Jora, whose party is also part of the LAB, said, adding the LAB will continue its struggle in support of its four-point agenda.

He also demanded democratically elected autonomous hill councils for the newly created districts and a separate budget for the new districts.

Ladakh Buddhist Association President Chering Dorje Lakrook, who is also co-chairman of the LAB, said the government's decision fulfilled the justified demand of the people.

"This decision will benefit the people especially living in far-flung areas by getting all facilities at their doorstep," he said.

He said there will be no impact of the decision on the ongoing struggle in support of their four demands.

"The creation of new districts is not the demand of the LAB and KDA, so we stand by our decision to undertake foot march from Leh to Delhi beginning September 1."