Leh, Sep 03: In a major step towards decentralising governance and strengthening grassroots administration in the Union Territory, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Thursday approved the notification for the creation of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) in all seven districts of the Union Territory.
The landmark decision comes after the creation of five new districts—Sham, Nubra, Zanskar, Drass and Changthang—in April this year and the Centre’s subsequent decision on July 13 to extend the LAHDC system to all seven districts of Ladakh.
Announcing the development, LG Saxena described it as a “historic day” for Ladakh and said the move would further empower local institutions and strengthen governance at the grassroots level.
The notification paves the way for the establishment of LAHDCs in the newly created districts, in addition to the existing councils. With the formal notification now in place, the process for holding elections to the councils is expected to begin in due course, marking a significant expansion of the region’s elected local governance framework.
Saxena said the decision would help decentralise administration, provide greater autonomy to local bodies and ensure that development and governance decisions are more closely aligned with the aspirations and requirements of people at the grassroots.
The Lieutenant Governor credited the proactive leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the move, saying it would contribute towards empowering Ladakh and strengthening its institutional framework.
“This landmark move will decentralise and strengthen local governance, ensure true autonomy for our local bodies, and fulfil the long-standing aspirations of our people at the grassroots level,” Saxena said.
The creation of the five new districts earlier this year had significantly expanded Ladakh’s administrative structure. The subsequent decision to extend LAHDCs to all seven districts is being viewed as an important step towards ensuring greater representation and participation of local communities in governance and development.
Saxena expressed confidence that the new arrangement would enable the people of Ladakh to play a greater role in charting the region’s development trajectory while promoting inclusive growth.
He said the decision reaffirmed the collective resolve to build a “stronger, developed and more empowered Ladakh” and congratulated the people of the Union Territory on the occasion.
The notification is expected to set the stage for the next phase of institutional development in Ladakh, with the election process for the councils to follow in accordance with the prescribed legal and administrative framework.
