LEH: Former Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Rigzin Spalbar has welcomed the decision to extend the provisions of the LAHDC Act to all seven districts of Ladakh, calling it a "historic milestone" that would strengthen grassroots democracy, regional empowerment and national security.
In a letter addressed to Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, Spalbar described the move as the third major milestone in Ladakh's political evolution after the creation of the Union Territory in August 2019 and the Centre's in-principle agreement for a customised Union Territory with legislature under Article 371.
He said the extension of the Hill Council system would decentralise governance by bringing decision-making closer to the people of remote districts such as Zanskar, Nubra, Changthang, Drass and Sham, enabling development to be tailored to local needs and aspirations.
Spalbar, who has long advocated the concept of "Safeguard within Safeguard" for Ladakh, said the decision would help protect land, employment, culture, language, environment and the traditional lifestyle of Ladakh's diverse communities. He also highlighted the provision of 33 per cent reservation for women as an important step towards inclusive governance.
Emphasising the strategic importance of Ladakh, he said empowered local institutions in border districts would strengthen India's national security by improving political and administrative governance in sensitive frontier areas.
The former LAHDC chief noted that the success of the Hill Council model in Leh and Kargil had demonstrated the effectiveness of decentralised governance, giving the Centre confidence to replicate it across the Union Territory.
He further said district-level councils would create new opportunities for youth leadership, employment and focused development in border villages, ensuring that remote settlements are not left behind because of difficult terrain and harsh winters.
Spalbar also described the decision as a model for governance in Himalayan regions, arguing that geography, remoteness, landmass and administrative challenges should be given greater weight than population while designing governance structures.
Expressing gratitude, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena and Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra for what he termed a landmark initiative to politically empower Ladakh and strengthen India's border region.
