Leh, Oct. 16 -- Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Friday announced the creation of Sankoo as the Union Territory's eighth district and five new tehsils to decentralise administration and improve access to government services in remote areas.
Carved out of the existing Kargil district, Sankoo will comprise the tehsils of GM Pore, TSG and Taisuru. The decision fulfils a long-standing demand of the region's residents and is expected to improve administrative coordination and public participation in governance.
The announcement comes less than six months after the administration announced five new districts, Changthang, Drass, Nubra, Sham and Zanskar, as part of its broader administrative reorganisation.
Saxena, who visited Sankoo on Friday, attended a gathering where residents celebrated the creation of the new district and expressed gratitude to the Centre and the Lieutenant Governor for fulfilling their demand.
"The creation of Sankoo district fulfils a long-standing aspiration of the people of the area and marks another important step towards bringing administration closer to citizens," Saxena said.
He said the objective was to ensure easier access to government services and extend the benefits of development to every village and household. He also assured that the administrative requirements of the new district would be addressed at the earliest and necessary appointments made soon to ensure its effective functioning.
The five new tehsils announced are Aryan Valley in Sham district, Sodh in Kargil, Phey in Zanskar, Thasgam in Drass and Hemya in Changthang. Their creation is aimed at improving access to essential public services, particularly in remote and far-flung areas.
Earlier, on July 12, Saxena had announced 17 new tehsils as part of the administrative reorganisation. With the addition of the five announced on Friday, Ladakh's total number of tehsils has risen to 37.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.