Port Blair, Aug 04: Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands raised some crucial issues in the Parliament during the Budget Session regarding the various issues of development of Andaman & Nicobar Island during Demands for Grants. Some of the major issues are:
- Doubling the budget allocation for Health Services in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
The Central Government has allocated 329 crores (300 crore under Medical & Public Health & 29 crore under Capital Outlay on Medical & Public Health) which should be doubled to 700 crores in order to upgrade the Public Health Care Delivery system in Andaman & Nicobar Islands such as establishment of a Super Specialty Hospital, Up-gradation of infrastructure facilities in the existing PHCs, CHCs, District and referral Hospitals by providing Ultra Sound & Dialysis facilities, creation of Hi-tech operation theaters, appointment of more GDMOs and Specialized Doctors, purchase modern ambulances & build trauma centers. - Stopping the online recruitment of government posts in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and giving preference to local residents of Andaman & Nicobar Island in government jobs.
There are currently 8000 to 10000 vacancies in government post in Andaman & Nicobar Administration. The current process of recruitment to government post in Andaman & Nicobar Islands administration is done through online method and because of poor internet and broadband connectivity in the islands the locals are unable to participate in the process whereas it becomes easy for the residents of other States to participate in the recruitment process and obtain Govt. jobs belonging to A&N Administration. Shri Sharma has demanded the abolition of such process and reinstatement of the old process of recruitment along with giving preference to local residents of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in such government jobs. - Early implementation of Flat Bay water supply project and Rutland project to solve water problems in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Shri Sharma expressed that despite these Islands receiving over 3000 MM of average annual rainfall, the general public and Hotel industries faces acute shortage of water throughout the year due to very limited catchment areas available in the Islands for collection of rain water for subsequent treatment and supply. Hence, there is an imminent need to expedite the implementation of Flat Bay & Rutland Water Supply Project in Andaman & Nicobar Islands to solve the issue of water scarcity & ensure safe and clean drinking water for the local residents as well as the tourists who visit the Island. Shri Sharma also insisted that apart from Dhanikhari dam, the island does not have any major source of water body. And if any untoward happen to it, there will be no other source of water. - Subsidy under UDAN scheme on air travel to the islanders & tourist visiting Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Air subsidy to be provided to the Islanders to travel to mainland for various reasons. At the time of tourist season, the rates of air fares are very high. Andaman & Nicobar Islands has a huge potential for tourism & due its unique geographical constrains, it requires better air connectivity within the Islands and to different parts of the country. This can be achieved under the UDAN scheme by offering subsidy to the residents of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and to the tourist visiting Andaman & Nicobar Islands on the lines of subsidy being provided to North-Eastern States. This will promote tourism industries in the Islands and will help to tackle the issue of unemployment which is a major concern in the Islands and if subsidy is provided to tourists it will increase their inflow and also help in solving the issue of unemployment in the Islands. - Constitution of a separate Women Commission for Andaman & Nicobar Islands
To ensure the welfare, development and protection of right of women in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, a Women Commission has to be set up at earliest which will take up issues pertaining to women in Andaman & Nicobar Islands as in other states of India. - Promotion of Fisheries in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
In the Union Budget Government has reduced the Capital Outlay on Fisheries for Andaman & Nicobar Islands from 10.99 crore to 10.09 crore. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands have vast potential for fisheries development in view of its Coastal length of about 1,962 km and Continental shelf area of 35,000 Sq Km. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around this islands is about 6,00,000 Sq Km with an estimated Fishery potential of 1.48 lakh MT which is 3.8% of our Country’s total Fishery Potential.
High investment is required for development of fish processing infrastructure, cold chain system complying to international standards, deep sea fishing vessels for exploitation of tuna and high value fishes in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone. - Tackling Unemployment in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Unemployment has been on the rise in Andaman & Nicobar Islands which has been substantiated by figures issued by the Labour Bureau of India. In order to tackle the menace of unemployment, the 8000 to 10000 vacant government post in Andaman & Nicobar Administration should be filled at the earliest by the locals. Apart from Govt. jobs, private sectors like tourism, fisheries, I.T & Horticulture (for organic cultivation) etc should be promoted. - Starting flights to & from Andaman & Nicobar Islands to enhance air connectivity from South East Asian Countries to promote tourism & trade
Due to its location Andaman & Nicobar Islands is close to several South East Asian countries like Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar & Indonesia which has a huge potential for developing tourism and trade in Andaman & Nicobar which will result in creation of job opportunities for locals and also strengthen trade ties with these countries which will facilitate economic development in these Islands. - Enhancing internet connectivity by laying optical fiber cables for better broadband facilities in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
In A&N Islands, satellite link is used for internet connectivity which is presently having a bandwidth of 2.5 Gbps. As the Govt. of India has introduced the concept of “Digital India”, most of the function/process in Government and private sectors including banking has been made online. Due to limited bandwidth and with large number of users, the network in these Islands is found jammed most of the time which affects tourism, trade and business industry in these Islands. Shri Sharma expressed that the project work of “Under Sea Optical Fiber Cable System” from Chennai to Port Blair to enhance the bandwidth would take considerable time, hence as an interim measures, the existing bandwidth needs to be enhanced minimum to 5 Gbps. - Regularize all Daily Rated Mazdoors engaged in the departments of Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
Several departments of A&N Administration has been continuously engaging workers on Daily Rated, Contractual, Ad-hoc basis etc. for execution of perennial and regular nature of work as being performed by the regular employees. Hence, it is proposed that a scheme may be drawn by the A&N Administration to provide regular appointment to such workers who have rendered services for substantially longer period to bring them under the concept of “Equal pay for Equal work”. - Regularize land for all left out cases of 1961
The benefit of “2003 Scheme of Regularisation of excess land” promulgated by the Ministry of Home Affairs vide letter No.U-13034/20/2003-ANL dated 15th July, 2003 need to be made applicable to all such Pre-1961 occupants as found in 1961 survey and excess land in their possession to be regularized without payment of premium. - Increase salary of Anganwadi & ASHA workers in Andaman & Nicobar Islands
Anganwadi Workers and Helpers are the integral part of flag ship programmes of Govt. of India namely ICDS and ASHA workers serve as an interface between the Community and Public Health system. Even though these sections of workers plays very significant and dominant role in implementation of Govt. welfare schemes envisaged for taking care of health and hygiene aspect of children and female, they are very nominal paid commensurate with the works being performed by them. Hence to provide social and financial security to these sections of workers, it is proposed to pay them at par with the wages being paid to the Daily Rated Employees at the rate of Rs. 437/- per day.
