Home Ministry announces five new districts in Ladakh
The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced the formation of five new districts in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh. The announcement was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday. The newly-formed districts are Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang. Prior to this expansion, Ladakh was divided into two districts: Leh and Kargil. Leh had six sub-divisions and Kargil had four.
Why does this story matter?
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019 split the state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, which has its own Assembly, and Ladakh, which does not have a legislature. As a result, central laws were enforced in both territories, with law and order powers remaining under the central government. This development precedes the upcoming assembly elections for Jammu and Kashmir, set for September, marking the first elections since the state's special status was revoked in 2019.
New districts to enhance governance, public service delivery
"In pursuit of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh...MHA has decided to create five new districts in the union territory," Shah said in a post on X. "The new districts, namely Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang, will take the benefits meant for the people to their doorsteps by bolstering governance in every nook and cranny," he added. "The Modi government is committed to creating abundant opportunities for the people of Ladakh," Shah added.
