India's frontier region of Ladakh, a centrally governed territory, got a huge governance boost as the Centre announced the formation of five new districts in the area on Monday.
The names of the new districts in Ladakh are Changthang, Drass, Nubra, Sham, and Zanskar.
"The Modi government is committed to creating abundant opportunities for the people of Ladakh. 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," Federal Home Minister Amit Shah said.
"Creation of five new districts in Ladakh is a step towards better governance and prosperity. Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang will now receive more focused attention, bringing services and opportunities even closer to the people. Congratulations to the people there," Modi wrote on X.
As Ladakh is a Union Territory (UT) directly administered by the central government, its governance comes under the purview of the Home Ministry.
Furthermore, the creation of these five districts holds immense significance, considering Ladakh has witnessed public protests in recent months over the restoration of statehood, and job reservations for locals.
Previously, Ladakh was part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir before the Indian government stripped the region of its semi-autonomous status and divided it into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.