Historic milestone for Ladakh: Five new districts notified in Ladakh; taking total districts to seven
L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena says the decision will strengthen governance and development in remote areas of Ladakh
L-G says move aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed and prosperous Ladakh
Leh, April 27: In a historic decision to meet the aspirations of the people of Ladakh and to fulfil their long-pending demand, the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, today, i.e. 27th April 2026, approved the issuance of notification for the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory of Ladakh. With this, Ladakh will now have a total of seven districts from the existing two. The five new districts are Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, had approved the formation of five new districts in August 2024.
The decision to form five new districts will significantly enhance administrative efficiency, improve service delivery, and fulfil the long-standing aspirations of the people, particularly those residing in remote and far-flung areas.
The move, the Lieutenant Governor said, was aligned with Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s dream of a developed and prosperous Ladakh, which was envisioned with the inception of Ladakh as a Union Territory in 2019.
Three districts, namely, Nubra (Headquarters: Diskit), Sham (Headquarters: Khaltse), and Changthang (Headquarters: Nyoma) have been carved out from Leh district, while two districts – Zanskar (Headquarters: Padum) and Drass (Headquarters: Drass-Ranbirpura) have been carved out from Kargil district.
Consequent to the notification, the territorial limits of the seven districts, too, have been defined. Now, the Leh district will have 44 revenue villages, while Nubra will have 30 revenue villages and Changthang will have 24 revenue villages. Similarly, Kargil district will have 80 revenue villages, while Sham district will have 27 revenue villages, Zanskar will have 26 revenue villages, and Drass will have 19 revenue villages.
Lieutenant Governor, Shri Saxena, described the move as “historic”, saying this would usher in a new era of inclusive development in the Union Territory by ensuring an effective and efficient delivery of services at the doorsteps. “This transformative decision underscores the Government of India’s commitment to unlocking Ladakh’s immense potential and ensuring balanced, inclusive, and sustainable development across the Union Territory,” Shri Saxena said.
Ladakh, one of India’s largest Union Territories in terms of geographical area, has long faced administrative challenges due to its difficult terrain, sparse population, and remote habitations. The creation of five additional districts will decentralise governance, reduce travel distances for citizens (often exceeding 300 km), and ensure faster and more effective delivery of public services.
Importantly, the creation of new districts is also expected to generate significant employment opportunities through the establishment of new administrative offices, supporting infrastructure, and allied services.
This will further boost local employment, skill development, entrepreneurship and economic opportunities.
Notably, MHA in August 2024 had also directed the UT Administration of Ladakh to constitute a committee to examine various aspects related to the formation of new districts. The committee undertook extensive consultations with delegations from across the region, conducted field visits and prepared a final report.
