Chennai, Mar 12: A conference on ‘strategic importance and growth opportunities in A&N Islands’ was organised by Bharat Niti at Hotel Raintree, Anna salai, Chennai on 10 March, 2017. The Lt Governor, A&N Islands, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi was the chief guest on the occasion. The National General Secretary, BJP, Shri Muralidhar Rao, the Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, the President Tamil Chamber of Commerce, Shri Chozha Nachiar Rajashekar, Chairman Apollo Hospital Group, Dr. Pratap C. Reddy, President, Andaman Chamber Commerce & Industry, Shri Girish Arora and the National Co-ordinator, Bharat Niti, Shri Anoop Kalppalli attended the conference. The Lt Governor, Prof Jagdish Mukhi and other dignitaries lit the oil lamp to mark the inauguration of the conference.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor, giving an overview of the Islands, said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are of immense strategic significance for India due to its geographical location. Islands’ proximity to some of the important countries of South East Asia and their major trading centres has been tremendous boost to India’s Look East Policy.
He said, the Island chain constitutes a valuable geopolitical asset for the nation and is positioned to play a crucial role in any maritime competition. It means that opportunities are there – waiting to be exploited. He expressed his happiness that Bharat Niti is organizing this conference at such a point of time when our nation is looking to expand its economic footprint globally and this would prove to be quite beneficial.
The Lt Governor congratulated the organizers and all the partners for bringing experts from various fields and providing a platform for constructive deliberations. He hoped that at the end of this conference, idea will emerge on how to tap the unexplored potential of the Islands and there will also be a road map for realistic way forward.
The Lt Governor highlighted the economic potential of the archipelago. In terms of area and population, this Union Territory is ahead of Countries like Maldives and Seychelles. Thus, the A & N Islands has immense scope for development; he said adding that the Islands are also known for its natural beauty.
Besides tourism, the Lt Governor stated that the region offers many exciting opportunities for business to flourish. The high literacy rate and per capita income make Andaman and Nicobar Islands one of the leading Union Territories in terms of social development. Some of the most obvious advantages of the Islands, the Lt Governor said, are its calm and serene atmosphere with negligible industrial dispute/ law and order problem, its proximity to International Trade Corridor, vast maritime potential and a unique phenomenon of pollution free environment.
The Lt Governor further stated that considering the sensitive ecology of the Islands, sustainable growth has been at the core of Andaman’s development agenda. Emphasis has always been on balanced way of development, with strict laws being adopted to curb any depletion of natural cover, and protection of a large part of the archipelago in its original shape. This also calls for innovative business practices, he said.
The industrial policy of the Islands focuses on promoting value added industries based on locally available raw materials for generation of employment opportunities; the Lt Governor said adding that the Administration is committed to extend full support to stake holders who intend to initiate business ventures in the Islands. The tertiary sector has been dominating the economic activity of the Union Territory and its share has been continuously rising. Within this, construction activities, transport, storage and communication and public administration have been the major drivers of growth, he said.
There is a need for value addition through modernization and technology up-gradation. The formation of Technology Incubation Centre will go a long way in serving the purpose, he said. The Lt Governor also informed that the Union Cabinet accorded approval for provision of direct communication link through a dedicated submarine Cable between Chennai and Port Blair and five other Islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This would pave way for establishment of e-commerce and IT & IT Enabled Industry.
In addition, other sectors like Energy, Health, Shipping, Livestock, Fisheries, Pearl Culture, Horticulture, Forestry, Prawn Culture, Bamboo Industry, High Yielding Organic Agriculture & Horticulture Produce and Deep Sea Fishing also hold great growth potential. Feasibility of setting up of a dry dock and Yacht Marina needs to be explored, the Lt Governor mentioned.
The Lt Governor said that despite all the advantages, the industrial development of A&N Islands is still in its infancy. The pace of industrial growth in the Islands has been slow, mainly due to locational disadvantages and dearth of adequate infrastructural facilities. There are no large scale industries in the Islands and are not feasible also. The logistic problems, unavailability of raw material and absence of local markets are the main bottlenecks, he said. However, he said, industrial growth of Micro & Small Enterprises is feasible with private initiatives. A comprehensive framework has to be developed to deal with all the issues that are impediments in the speedy development of the Islands.
The Lt Governor expressed the hope that the conference will play a significant role in making investors as well as citizens realize, the importance of A&N Islands both strategically and economically. It is the need of the hour that the entrepreneurs should look beyond the mainland and invest in areas that can play an important part in strengthening the country’s economy and also its relations with other nations.
The Lt Governor also said that the A&N Islands are true example of secular India. “It is a place where people live peacefully and inter caste and inter religion marriages happen”, he said. He also called upon all Indians to visit Andamans at least once in a lifetime.
Speaking on the occasion, the BJP National General Secretary, Shri Muralidhar Rao stated that the Chola Dynasty were the first to conquer Andaman & Nicobar Islands, even before Britishers came. He also requested the Lt Governor, A&N Islands, to write to all schools and education institutions to send their students to visit the Islands. Shri Rao further said that the information about the Cellular Jail and history of A&N Islands should be propagated.
Addressing the gathering, the Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray stated that the pollution and crime free environment in A&N Islands is conducive for business in the Islands. He invited the entrepreneurs to come and invest in the Islands. He also lauded the efforts of the Lt Governor for getting the undersea cable project sanctioned.
The President, ACCI Shri Girish Arora stated that there is tremendous opportunity for business growth in A&N Islands. He informed the gathering that Radhanagar beach at Havelock, A&N Islands, has been rated one among top ten beaches of the world, by TripAdvisor. He said this has been possible due to the consistent profiling of our beautiful emerald Islands by the A&N Administration and the national and international travel agencies.
The conference was well attended by over 300 delegates drawn from Andaman Chamber of Commerce, Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce, CII, Consul Commercial Director — Royal Thai Consulate General, National Innovation Agency Malaysia. The Malaysian delegation offered to join hands with ACCI and offered all assistance to develop business prospects in this island.
The first session was chaired by the Member of Parliament, Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, on the topic ‘Economic possibilities and growth opportunities in A&N Islands. The Secretary Tourism, Smt. Ankita Mishra Bundela spoke about the growth prospects in the tourism industry through a power point presentation. She highlighted the scope of growing diving industry in the Islands. The session was also addressed by Shri G Bhakar.
The second session was chaired by Shri C Narasimhan, ex MP of TN on the topic ‘Geo- strategic advantage of Andaman & Nicobar to India’s security’. The former Chief Secretary, A& N Islands & President Director, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, New Delhi, Dr. Shakthi Shina, President, Chennai Centre for China Studies & former Director, Centre for South & South East Asian Studies, University of Madras, Dr. V. Suryanarayanan and the Director, Chennai Centre for China Studies Cmde. R S Vasan, IN (Retd.) spoke on the occasion.
The concluding session was addressed by Shri Vishal Jolly, President BJP, A & N Islands in which he highlighted the scope for setting up various industries in the Islands.
