Port Blair, May 31: The 8th meeting of the Andaman & Nicobar State Planning Board (ANSPB) was held in the conference hall of Megapode Resort here today, under the chairmanship of the Lt. Governor, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi, who is also the Chairman of A&N State Planning Board. During the meeting, the Vision-2030, 7-year Strategy upto 2024 and three year Action Plan 2017-2020 for sustainable and equitable development of Andaman and Nicobar Islands was approved. The meeting was attended among others, by the Member of Parliament, Shri. Bishnu Pada Ray, Chief Secretary, Shri. Anindo Majumdar, Adhyaksh Zilla Parishad (South Andaman), Shri. Jaydeep Kumar Dey, Adhyaksh (North & Middle Andaman), Shri.Saw Tathu, Chairperson (PBMC), Shri. B. Eswar Rao, Chairperson (Social Welfare Advisory Board), Dr.Poonam Arora Principal Secretary (Planning)-cum-Member Secretary (ANSPB), Shri. Raajiv Yaduvanshi and senior officers of the Administration.
Addressing the gathering, the Lt. Governor said the feasibility of the proposals and plans formulated and presented by the respective Heads of Departments will be looked into for implementation. He also exhorted the Officers to work with honesty and utmost commitment in realizing the plans laid out by each Department. Expressing satisfaction over the development taking place in A&N Islands and in achieving the targets, the Lt. Governor remarked that A&N Islands have made remarkable progress in various sectors and is No. 1 in achieving the targets, for which, we should be proud of. He lauded the Officers of the Administration for their concerted efforts in this regard and hailed the level of awareness among the PRI representatives.
The Member of Parliament, Chairperson, DPC (South Andaman), Chairperson, DPC (North & Middle Andaman), Chairperson (PBMC), Chairperson (SWAB) and Chairperson, DPC (Nicobar) gave their valuable suggestions/views for inclusion in the document during the sectoral presentation. The suggestions include grant of fund for back log works of PRIs, starting of medical ship to cater to the needs of far flung needy patients, construction and maintenance of rural roads under PMGSY-II, establishment of Jal Board for better management of drinking water, construction of sea wall at different parts of the Islands, up-gradation of ports and jetties , improvement in level of education especially in Maths, English & Science as well as infrastructure up-gradation, prevention of banks erosion, compensation to PBMC on loss of octroi, shortage of staff in Zilla Parishad Offices, strengthening of CSCs, increase in the number of seats in the chartered flights, especially the chartered flight between Port Blair and Vizag.
Secretaries of major departments viz. Shipping, Port Management Board, Rural Development & Panchayat, APWD, Power, Forest, Information Technology, Health, Education, Police, Tourism, Social Welfare, Civil Aviation & Transport, etc. gave Power Point presentation on the sectoral Vision, Strategy and Action Plan for their Departments.
Earlier, the Member Secretary welcomed the august body and briefed about the process of the making of the Vision, Strategy, Action Plan and financial outlays in his Power Point presentation. The Government of India has discontinued the system of Five Year Plans & Annual Plans and distinction of Plan and Non-Plan. The Government of India has adopted a new system i.e. Vision, Strategy and Action in view of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be attained by 2030.
The NITI Aayog has advised the Administration to prepare Vision, Strategy, Action Plan for Andaman and Nicobar Islands with effect from 2017-18. The A & N Administration has taken proactive steps to introduce the new system of preparation of developmental plan in the Islands. Andaman and Nicobar Administration is following decentralized planning, thus the Administration has all the local bodies to participate in the exercise of formulation of the documents for bringing out a realistic development plan keeping in view the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Sabka Saat Sabka Vikas’.
Gram Sabha, meeting of Panchayat Samitis, Zilla Parishads, Island Tribal Councils and Municipal Council were convened for prioritising the local requirement for inclusion in Vision, Strategy & Action Plan of local bodies and line departments. District level documents so prepared were placed before the District Planning Committees (DPCs) of their respective districts for deliberations and recommendations. The consolidation of the three district level documents has been placed before the A & N State Planning Board in the meeting.
The Member of Parliament, Chairperson, DPC (South Andaman), Chairperson, DPC (North & Middle Andaman), Chairperson (PBMC), Chairperson (SWAB) and Chairperson, DPC (Nicobar) gave their valuable suggestions/views for inclusion in the document during the sectoral presentation.
The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration concluded the meeting by expressing with thanks to all members who participated in the meeting and for their valuable contributions for improving the documents. The Chief Secretary assured the board that the suggestions have been taken note off and will be examined & implemented in letter and spirit.
The Board under the chairmanship of the Lt. Governor has approved the Vision, Strategy and Action Plan with the suggestions offered by the members. Sectoral outlay of `4263.28 Crores for the 2017-18 as proposed in the Action Plan 2017-18 has also been approved by the Board.
