Ladakh hikes village heads’ monthly honorarium to ₹5,000 after 10-year gap

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena approves 233% hike for 247 nambardars as administration seeks to bolster grassroots governance; they were getting ₹1,500 earlier

In a move aimed at strengthening grassroots administration, Ladakh lieutenant governor VK Saxena approved a more than three-fold increase in the monthly honorarium of nambardars (village heads) across the Union Territory.

The new rates will take effect once officially gazetted.

The decision raises monthly pay for 247 nambardars, locally known as gobas, from ₹1,500 to ₹5,000. This marks a 233% increase and represents the first adjustment to their allowance since 2016.

“The role of nambardars is crucial because they remain closely connected with the people and serve as a vital link between the administration and our villages,” Saxena said, adding the hike addresses a long-standing demand and will support effective delivery of government schemes.

Nambardars act as primary liaisons between rural communities and the administration, helping convey local needs—such as village water management issues—while helping residents navigate government programmes.

The decision follows representations submitted during village outreach visits, including a direct meeting between a delegation of nambardars and the Lieutenant Governor on September 19. Following that meeting, the LG instructed the chief secretary to review their pay structure.

The revised emoluments were fixed under the Jammu and Kashmir Lambardari Act, 1972, and the Jammu and Kashmir Lambardari Rules, 1980, as applicable to Ladakh. The new rates will take effect once officially gazetted.