Port Blair, June 26: The Lt Governor, Lt Gen A K Singh (Retd), has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to consider providing of additional fund to UT Administration to bear the initial capital cost of Rs 80 crore for setting up of Sainik School in these Islands.
In a letter to Shri Rajnath Singh, the Union Home Minister, the Lt Governor has stated that as per past practice, admissions of the boys of Andaman & Nicobar are considered at Sainik School, Purulia, West Bengal. Since the boys of this UT are unable to compete with students of mainland, establishing a Sainik School in these Islands will give more seats and prepare the students to join NDA/IMA and other career options in Armed Forces at higher levels, he said.
He further stated that these Islands are not only a strategic area, but also are far flung from our mainland. The necessity of providing opportunities for children of these Islands in the Armed Forces is thus quite pronounced. At present our boys have been facilitated to enter the Force as Jawans due to our focus on recruitment.
However, their entry as Officers will be possible only with better training and quality education that can be provided by Sainik Schools, observed the LG.
The Lt Governor further stated that he had also taken up the matter with Defence Ministry and the Home Ministry related Parliamentary Committee has also highlighted this issue.
