Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass to be the new distric

Ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Ladakh this week, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Monday approved the notification for the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory—nearly two years after the Union Home Ministry announced the decision.

Taking to X, the Ladakh administration termed it a “historic day” and said the notification fulfils a long-pending demand and the aspirations of the people of the region.

With the creation of the new districts—Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass—Ladakh will now have seven districts, up from the existing two.

The Lieutenant Governor said the move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed and prosperous Ladakh.

He said the decision would “strengthen grassroots governance, decentralise administration and ensure faster delivery of public services, particularly in remote and far-flung areas”.

“Creation of new districts, apart from bringing governance closer to citizens, will create new avenues for growth, employment and entrepreneurship,” the L-G said.

He added that every citizen of Ladakh would benefit from what he described as a historic decision aimed at building a stronger and more prosperous future.

In 2024, the Union Home Ministry had announced the creation of five new districts in line with the Prime Minister’s development vision, but the formal notification had been pending since then.

The announcement comes ahead of Amit Shah’s two-day visit to Ladakh beginning April 30. The visit coincides with the country’s first exposition of Lord Buddha’s sacred relics, scheduled from May 1 to May 14, adding both spiritual and public significance.

The L-G had on Sunday announced that the next round of talks between Ladakh civil society representatives and the Ministry of Home Affairs will be held on May 22.

These talks will be the first since Saxena assumed office as Lieutenant Governor, replacing Kavinder Gupta. Since taking charge in March, he has initiated outreach efforts, expressed confidence in the dialogue process, and pushed for development and revival of stalled projects.