Leh, July 12: A month after the Union Territory of Ladakh was expanded with the creation of five new districts, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Sunday announced another major administrative reform by approving the creation of 17 new Tehsils, taking the total number of Tehsils in the Union Territory from 15 to 32.
The landmark decision is aimed at reorganising Ladakh’s revenue administrative framework, strengthening governance at the grassroots level, and ensuring that government services reach people living in the remotest and border regions more efficiently.
The announcement comes as part of the broader administrative restructuring of Ladakh, which recently witnessed the creation of five new districts—Changthang, Nubra, Sham, Zanskar and Drass—in addition to the existing Leh and Kargil districts.
Sharing the decision, LG Saxena said the rationalisation of Tehsils has been undertaken to remove long-standing administrative complexities and improve governance across the Union Territory.
“This rationalisation ensures that every Revenue Village is mapped to a single Tehsil, and every Tehsil to a single district, eliminating administrative and jurisdictional overlap, as it existed till now,” he said.
Under the new administrative structure, Leh district will have five Tehsils, Kargil seven, Changthang four, Nubra six, Zanskar four, Sham five, and Drass one Tehsil, creating a more balanced and efficient governance framework across the seven districts.
Officials said the decision holds particular significance for Ladakh, one of India’s largest yet least populated Union Territories, where vast geographical distances, difficult terrain and sparse population have often posed challenges to governance and public service delivery.
Until now, the administrative structure, built around only Leh and Kargil districts, had struggled to effectively cater to the growing developmental and administrative needs of remote areas.
The newly approved Tehsils are expected to decentralise governance by bringing revenue administration and essential public services closer to the people. The move is also expected to facilitate quicker implementation of welfare schemes, strengthen disaster response mechanisms, improve land and revenue administration, and reduce the need for residents to travel long distances to access government offices.
The Lieutenant Governor said the exercise is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed, prosperous and well-governed Ladakh, envisioned following the creation of the Union Territory in 2019.
According to the administration, the strengthened administrative framework will significantly enhance public service delivery, accelerate developmental programmes and ensure that every citizen—particularly those residing in remote and strategically important border areas—has easier and faster access to government services.
