Sheekha Bureau
The President of A & N State BJP has stressed on the need of strengthening the Panchayati Raj Institute and setting up of an independent Shipping Corporation for Andaman Nicobar Islands.
A series of similar demands concerning the development of these islands were put forth by the State President BJP, Mr. Vishal Jolly through a power point presentation titled “ changing the face of Andamans” during an exclusive meeting of Union Territories held at New Delhi with BJP leadership.
The meeting was attended, among others, by the National President BJP, Shri Amit Shah, the Minister of State for Home, Shri Kiren Rijiju, senior officials from PMO.
Informing this during a press conference at BJP Bhawan today, Shri Jolly said that his first and foremost demand with the BJP leadership was the need based democratic set up for A&N islands by introducing either erstwhile Pradesh Council or Legislative Assembly.
However, he suggested for a governing body like Pradesh Council, which according to him, will work as a platform for interaction of people with the government/ council responsible for governance of the area.
In the Shipping sector, Shri Jolly demanded for a transhipment port at Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar with all allied services which will go a long way in harnessing the benefit from the maritime trade along Malacca Starit hardly 100 Kms away. Apart from this, an independent Shipping Corporation for Andaman Nicobar Islands and a ship repairing yard for maintenance of existing vessels as well as a support for the proposed transshipment port too.
In tourism sector, Mr. Jolly citing the enormous tourism potential urged for providing single window online portal for Yatchs/cruise liners so that issuance of permits for these Yatch and cruise liners could be made easier and visitor friendly, which according to him, will help in increasing tourism possibilities. Besides this, demands like introduction of visa on arrival facility for tourists, opening more islands for tourism and development of tourism circuits were also made.
Other developmental issues which were put forth during the meeting included renewal of Palm oil cultivation, review of Shekhar Singh Commission recommendations, exempting Tourism and Fisheries sectors from CRZ norms, giving back the land of Tsunami affected farmers and Promulgation of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Public Employment Regulation.
