Response positive, restoration likely
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 28: The Union Territory of Ladakh administration is in touch with the Union Ministries of Finance and Home for restoration of over Rs 2500 crore worth budgetary cut which could hit developmental works. The administration wants the cut to be restored at the earliest as the UT has very limited working season.
Official sources told the Excelsior that top brass of the UT is in constant touch with both Finance and Home Ministries in New Delhi soon after a cut of around Rs 2500 cr was imposed in budgetary allocation of Ladakh for 2026-27 as compared to current fiscal of 2025-26.
“The response has been very positive and an announcement is expected to be made with start of next financial year from April 1, 2026,’’ they said.
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While presenting annual budget for 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Rs 4869 crore worth budget to the UT of Ladakh as against Rs 7377.43 crore given in the revised estimates of current fiscal of 2025-26. This was Rs 2508 crore less than 2025-26 budgetary allocation.
Though the Leh Autonomous Hill Development Council is not in place since October last year, its powers have been vested with the Deputy Commissioner and development works are continuous processes.
“The UT administration of Ladakh is of the view that restoration of budgetary cut and bringing it at par with at least for the current financial year if not more should be done with commencement of next financial year of 2026-27 as Ladakh has limited working season from April to November as temperature plunges to minus several degrees from December to February,’’ the sources said, adding that the Finance and Home Ministries have given positive response to the UT’s demand.
Moreover, as per the sources, the MHA had announced five more districts for Ladakh in August 2024 and if they are given practical shape in next few days or months, the UT administration will be requiring lot of funds to make new districts functional especially creation of new infrastructure like Government offices, posts etc.
Ladakh presently has only two districts—Leh and Kargil.
Five new districts which were announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 26, 2024 include Sham, Changthang and Nubra in Leh and Zanskar and Drass in Kargil. This will take total number of districts in Ladakh to seven.
Besides, 33 new administrative units are proposed to be created in five new districts including six Tehsils, nine Niabats and 18 Patwar Halqas. All these new units have been identified and will be announced once five new districts are formally created. The new units will also need creation of infrastructure.
Headquarters of new districts have also been identified and will be named with formal creation of the new districts. Six new Tehsils, nine Niabats and 18 Patwar Halqas too have been identified in the new districts. Their boundaries will be revealed once all requisite formalities are completed.
Sources said the new districts involved significant budgetary allocations and postings of officers, both All India Services and others for which separate proposals have already been forwarded to the Union Ministries of Finance and Home. Once the financial allocations are approved and MHA’s nod is received, the new districts will be formally announced followed by posting of officers and creation of new administrative units like Tehsils, Niabats and Patwar Halqas.
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