SRINAGAR: A day after inconclusive talks between Union Home Ministry (MHA) officials and Ladakh leaders on constitutional safeguards and a Union Territory-level elected body, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Friday announced the creation of Sankoo district, taking the total number of districts in Ladakh to eight.
The announcement came a day after the Prime Minister inaugurated five development projects in the region.
“In line with the "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" vision of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, I am pleased to announce the creation of Sankoo District,” Saxena said in a post on X.
He said the decision fulfilled a long-standing demand of the people and was made possible by the constructive approach of Anjuman-e-Sahib Zaman, under the leadership of Chief Patron Syed Mohammad Razvi (Aga Migi Outh), Chairman Sheikh Sadiq Balaghi, Kargil Hill Council Chief Executive Councillor Dr Jaffar Akhoon, Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan and former Leh CEC Tashi Gyalston.
In April, Saxena had announced five new districts — Nubra, Sham, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass — taking Ladakh's total from two to seven.
Before the announcement, Ladakh had only two districts: Leh, which has a Buddhist majority, and Kargil, which has a Muslim majority. The creation of the five districts was followed by demands from local residents for Sankoo, Shakar, Chiktan and Shargole to be made districts.
Ladakh covers 86,904 square kilometres and shares borders with China and Pakistan. According to the 2011 Census, it has a population of 2.74 lakh.
