Member of Parliament demands increase in the budget of Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 5,987 crore to 25,000 crore

Port Blair, Feb 13: Raising his points in Parliament on the General Budget for the year 2023-24 on Friday, the Member of Parliament of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma noted that the budget allocated for Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a marginal increase of Rs. 280 crore from Rs 5,703.65 crore in 2022-23 to Rs. 5,987 crore this year.

The Member of Parliament placed 50 demands in the Parliament in order to ensure a holistic growth for Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which are:

1. Increasing the budget of Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 5,987 crore to 25,000 crore(Twenty Five Thousand Crore) as one time investment to develop infrastructure so that the Islands starts generating its own revenue and need not depend on Central Government rather contribute to the Central Government revenue.
2. To fill up all the 10,000 vacant posts of Andaman and Nicobar Administration through the youths of the Islands and stop online recruitment.
3. To create more jobs promote tourism through Marine, Adventure, Culinary, Eco, World War II Tourism and Cultural Tourism alongwith establishment of Freedom Struggle Tourism at various places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
4. Emphasis on Fisheries sector:
• Create more cold storage chain
• Provide facilities to export fish products from the Islands
• Start deep sea fishing
5. Need to generate employment through Information Technology Infrastructure in Andaman and Nicobar Islands by:
• Creating IT Park ( A separate Island to be earmarked)
• Creating of Call centers, BPOs, Data Center
• Laying second OFC cable from Diglipur to Puri
6. Construct India’s biggest Ship Building and Ship repairing dry dock in the Islands to generate employment and revenue.
7. Need to establish a Legislative Assembly for Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the lines of Delhi and Puducherry.
8. Creation of Andaman & Nicobar Public service commission for the Islanders.
9. Start PG Courses in Medical College so that the local doctors do specialization courses and serve the Islanders.
10. Provide facilities for Cardiac, biliary and neuro treatment at par with mainland.
11. To commission super specialist Doctors from New Delhi to Andaman & Nicobar Islands on deputation.
12. Demand for constructing Trauma Center/ UltraSound Machine in PHC and purchase of modern Ambulance for all the Islands.
13. Air Ambulance for providing better facilities to residents of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
14. Construction of bridge from Chattam to Bamboo flat.
15. Construction of bridge between Minni Bay to Mithakhari.
16. Increase the pension of old age, widow, destitute and divyang from Rs. 2500 to Rs. 5000.
17. Start air connectivity from Port Blair to Madurai, Port Blair to Kochi, Port Blair to Ranchi, and vice versa.
18. Give air subsidies to the Islanders in terms of North Eastern states and start night flight from the Islands.
19. Purchase 3 new aeroplanes (Boeing 737 with 180 Pax capacity for the Andaman and Nicobar Administration for the welfare of the Islanders as well as to develop tourism and trade which will boost the economy of the Islands.
20. Increase the salary of Anganwadi and Asha workers.
21. Regularize all 902 casual and DRM’s working in Port Blair Municipal Council.
22. Regularize the service of all contract and casual workers in Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
23. To provide Unemployment allowance of Rs. 3000 to the Youths of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
24. Install a desalination plant to solve the water crisis.
25. Construct one more Dam apart from Dhanikhari Dam.
26. Construct Dam at Khudirampur (Diglipur), Parnasala (Rangat).
27. Early start of second phase of Rutland water project.
28. Early start of Flat Bay water project.
29. Need for Resettlement and Rehabilitation of Katchan Tamil settlers.
30. Need to establish a Central University in Andaman and Nicobar Islands instead of Deemed University.
31. Need to provide adequate compensation or return the land that was submerged as a result of the disaster to the victims of 2004 Tsunami in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
32. Provide FM radio throughout Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
33. Establishing a separate commission for women for Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
34. Create a women’s college and a Fisheries College.
35. Early start of International flights from Port Blair to South Eastern countries to generate tourism and socio economic development.
36. Regularize all the left out cases of land of Pre 1961.
37. Provide 5 acres of land to the extended families of Pre 1942 and settler categories.
38. Provide 200 sq. meter of land to all landless Islanders.
39. Regularize all the encroachment prior to 2012.
40. Provide more funds to PRIs and Municipal Council.
41. Resume flight from Port Blair to Car Nicobar and Vice versa.
42. Connect Shaheed Deep (Neil Island) with OFC cable.
43. Early start of procuring copra at MSP rate.
44. To bring paddy and arecanut under MSP.
45. Early completion of the National Highway in the Islands.
46. Demand to sanction two numbers of Sainik Schools one at Diglipur and one at Campbell Bay.
47. Construct a world class cricket stadium in Andaman and Nicobar.
48. Promote sports along with necessary infrastructure to promote other sports like Football, Cycling and swimming.
49. To construct a playground and gymnasium at all 70 Panchayats and 24 Municipal wards including tribal areas.
50. Construct a new jetty at Sholbay to promote tourism.
The Member of Parliament requested the government to sanction Rs. 25,000 crore (Twenty Five Thousand Crores) package with the above mentioned demands to boost the economy of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.