JK govt approves creation of separate administrative division for Ladakh

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday approved the creation of a separate administrative/revenue division for Ladakh. This division will comprise Leh and Kargil districts with its headquarters at Leh. A divisional commissioner and inspector general of police for Ladakh division will be appointed soon. According to local reports, a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Principal Secretary to Government, Planning, Development and Monitoring Department to identify the posts of divisional level heads of various departments that may be required for the new division; particularly their staffing pattern, role and responsibilities and proposed location of these offices.

Greater Kashmir reported that the issue was discussed at various fora and there has been a persistent demand for the creation of division for Ladakh from many organisations, including the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC) Leh and Kargil. Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in Jammu and Kashmir and is the highest plateau in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, with most of it being over 9,800 feet above sea level.