Ladakh's Historic Move: Seven Autonomous Hill Councils to Drive Local Governance

Ladakh's Chief Secretary announced the creation of Autonomous Hill Development Councils in each of its seven districts. This initiative marks a significant step towards grassroots governance, decentralizing power from the central authorities, and enhancing local representation and development in the region.

Ladakh's Chief Secretary, Ashish Kundra, declared on Monday the formation of Autonomous Hill Development Councils across each of the seven districts, heralding it as a pivotal move for democratic decentralization and strengthening grassroots governance.

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Act's Section 3(1) already allows for such councils. The government will notify the relevant date for each district's council following necessary amendments and delimitation. Ladakh, previously structured as two districts, expanded to seven, including Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar, and Drass.

The councils will have full powers as per the LAHDC Act, matching the authorities granted to Leh and Kargil. They will regulate district-level posts and have control over land, finance, and development projects, fostering autonomy in health, education, and infrastructure initiatives.