New Delhi, May 8 -- The lieutenant governor of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, has sent a proposal to the ministry of home affairs (MHA) to establish a dedicated administrative service cadre to address the shortage of officers in the union territory, people familiar with the development said.

This is the first time a Ladakh Subordinate Administrative Service (LSAS) cadre has been mooted -- and the move could address one of the demands of groups that have been seeking more autonomy for the UT.

Currently, Ladakh, carved out of Jammu & Kashmir as a separate UT after the abrogation of article 370 has to depend on the J&K Administrative Service (JKAS) as well as deputation for its requirement of officers. The strategically important region is fa...