Port Blair, Feb 27: Mr. Vishal Jolly, NEM, BJP and Chairman EMC, BJP, A&N Islands said that the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands with its Exotic Greenery and Flora has immense scope for the promotion of Tourism in the Islands.
Mr. Jolly told a section of media that the scope and opportunities were not exploited fully before the BJP Government came to power. Modi Government decided to develop Tourism in the Islands as an established industry and took several steps in favor of Tourism development.
He added that the Central Government focused on various issues such as the promotion of high-value, low-volume, eco-friendly & Environmentally Sustainable Tourism, encouraging private sector investment in the development of Tourism infrastructure and development of new tourism activities, etc.
“The Modi Government also allocated a major chunk of funds for the growth of the tourism sector in the Islands. In 2016, under the SwadeshDarshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism invested about Rs 42 crores to create a coastal circuit between Long, Smith and Ross, Havelock, Baratang Islands and Port Blair. Further, the Sagarmala project of the Ministry of Shipping proposes to invest around Rs 590 crores in Swaraj and ShaheedDweep, as well as in Port Blair. Apart from this, four eco-tourism projects in A&N Islands at Lalaji Bay Long Island, Smith Island, and Aves Island, are planned to be developed under the Public-Private Partnership model,” he claimed.
Mr. Jolly said that the development of the Tourism sector will create more employment opportunities and would lead towards the socio-economic development of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
