Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 16: Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament, A & N Islands, met the visiting Union Home Secretary, at Chief Secretary’s office at Sri Vijay Puram and discussed on numerous issues of pubic importance.
Mr. Ray, started with the problems of Farmers of the Islands. He pointed that the Administration/LG/Agriculture department has stopped the supply of Urea and DAP at subsidized rate across the UT since last many years, important fertilizer for growth of Agriculture. Presently farmers are bound to purchase Urea at high cost of Rs 6000/- or even more whereas the actual cost is Rs 2000/-. Moreover no substitute to the above fertilizer is made available to farmers.
“KVK/CIARI has been established about 40 years back, but the organization has not been able to develop/ provide alternative as organic fertilizers suitable for the Islands, the MP informed.
The Administration declared that the Islands will be developed as organic Islands. Unfortunately this slogan remains in only in paper. No concrete initiatives have been visibly taken to make Islands organic Island by the Administration,” a press release issued from MP office said here today.
The release added that Mealybug infestation remains a major issue in Islands and is now a matter of major concern as it is destroying plantations except in Satsang Vihar Temple at Sri Vijaya Puram.
“Now a new problem has been imposed with putting hurdles in smooth operation of cargo vessels between Sri Vijaya Puram and Chennai. Due to ship services have virtually come to stand still. Today potato is being sold at the cost of Rs.100/- per kg, whereas the same things earlier was Rs.40 /-. Tomato being sold at Rs.160/- kg, onion at Rs.100 kg, earlier Rs.50/- kg, Garlic Rs. 600/-, earlier Rs.250, Ginger Rs.500, earlier Rs.200/-, Dhaniya pathi Rs.600/-,” MP mentioned in his letter.
In addition most hospitals particularly in North & Middle Andaman, CHC, District Hospitals have no ultrasound facilities and pregnant mothers are forced to come to Port Blair by facing troubles due to deplorable road conditions, he told in the letter.
Similarly there are a number of sanctioned posts for District Hospital, Mayabunder but due to lack of serious efforts, the posts remain unfulfilled. Whereas, earlier full strength was existing.
Similarly, budget allocation for ANI during the last 5 years has been least for development activities in the Islands. Due to this most of the roads of 24 wards in Municipal council, are in deplorable condition. Similar is the situation with respect to rural roads under Panchayat/Samity and Zilla Parishad.
As per MHA directives, a total of 25% of the total budget must be provided to PRI/PBMC. But unfortunately it is less than 1% of in the instant case.
As per the letter “More ridiculous is the statement of LG wherein he told during a meeting with a few PRI ‘s and MP, that compared to national average based on population and area, the roads in the Islands are sufficient. Hence no additional funds for new roads can be provided.”
Administration is too bulky, resulting in more problems than solutions. A large numbers of IAS/IPS are posted in the Islands without any sensible consideration. Due to this huge amount is spent on salary and other facilities of the officials. This unwanted bulky bureaucracy needs to be sliced down to save money from the budget. In Delhi IAS, DANICS, and IPS are getting rental cars through GEM. But here costly cars are being purchased and availed by the officials. These unnecessary expenditures must also be curtailed, MP said in the letter
Newly inducted IAS/DANICS are posted in Agriculture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry who have no knowledge about the subject.Although good qualified local officers having enough experiences in the respective fields are not posted even on CDC.
The MP in the letter complained that the Ex DRC Delhi and Hon’ble Lt. Governor are involved in huge corruption for violation of minimum wages act. Proof is available in Bank Statement of the employees. Mandatory 6 monthly VDA is not being given. First come last go too is not implemented. Corruption to a tune of one crore is alleged. Ex DRC Delhi have assets beyond his known sources income, MP said in the letter.
Decisions are being taken neglecting the MP. For example, the name of Port Blair has been changed as “Sri Vijaya Puram” without consulting the MP. People who have no stake in the islands are recommending the name.
Similarly, decisions for development of Ross and Viper islands have been taken without discussions with the lone MP. The current MP saved the Viper islands during Congress era.
APWD following CPWD manuals, CE APWD used to sanction works. But now system has been changed and many bureaucrats in the rank of Secretary are taking decisions on fund allocations. For example one road in Keralapuram sanctioned after five years following persuasion.
The 50 MW LNG project was sanctioned during MP’s last tenure as MP of 16th Lok Sabha, Hon’ble PM laid foundations, but the Ex-Power Minister RK Singh in association with the then Lt. Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Introduced solar system by making huge corruption. The same system of Solar panel is being continued by the present Lt. Governor. Hence power disruptions and load shedding is happening continuously in the entire territory unabated.
Lt. Governor is taking his own decisions as he wish to do without making consultation with the MP and elected representatives.
During last session of 18th Lok Sabha, I raised a question concerned to conversion of land. But the Admn furnished wrong and misleading information in the name of Master Plan, which has been thrashed by the Hon’ble High Court. The settler families and other unemployed youths are coming forward to contribute to the Islands development in various sectors by availing loan etc. But the Admn has stopped the conversion/ diversion and registration of land etc.
In the Judgment orders of Hon’ble High Court which was passed due to excesses by Authorities and are in larger public interest, Administration is consistently files SLP which is wastage of public money and is merely to save face of officers.
Many other issues too have been raised by the Hon’ble MP during the meeting with the Union Home Secretary.
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