Port Blair, October 31: Lt Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) A.K. Singh today said that “I am fully conscious that I am here to serve the people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and will ensure that welfare of the people and development of the Islands will be my primary concern”. The Lt Governor stated this while distributing Cooperative Cards to some of the old age, widow and disabled persons at Manpur Community hall this morning. As a goodwill gesture, the Lt Governor came down from the dais to give away the Cooperative Cards to the elderly and disabled persons. He also inquired about their well being and expressed his best wishes to them.
Addressing the huge gathering of people, the Lt Governor complimented Andaman and Nicobar State Cooperative Bank Ltd for their initiative of door to door pension disbursal through Cooperative Cards. He urged the bank management to continue to extend better banking services to the people, especially to the farmers and the poor.
“Unless I meet the people and understand their issues, I cannot resolve them. This is primarily why I undertook an extensive tour of the Islands-right from Diglipur in the North to Campbell Bay in southern group of Islands to know the actual issues facing the people”, he said.
Referring to his vision of development, the Lt Governor stated that development in the Islands will be taken-up keeping in mind the strategic importance of the Islands and ecological factors. Describing communication and connectivity as the biggest challenges, the Lt Governor stated that our focus will be to improve both the sectors on priority basis, he said.
Further, he described Education and Health as the two important Departments, the Administration is focussing for fast improvement. On the education front, he stated that our Islands are the only place in the country where five regional languages are taught in government schools. He urged the Authorities and PRIs to seriously re-consider the whole system of education in consultation with the parents and other citizens. The focus should be “What is best for the students and their future prospects”. As regards Health sector, he expressed happiness that health care facilities are provided free of cost in the Islands. Pointing out that shortage of specialists is a big challenge, he stated that as an immediate measure, directions have been issued to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Health) to work out arrangements for treatment of cancer and heart related cases in the Islands itself. He further stated that once the proposed Medical College is established, the problem of shortage of specialists will be resolved to a great extent. He said that the Authorities have been asked to present a comprehensive health plan with timeline and fund requirements by 12 November 2013.
Projecting Tourism and Fisheries as the two sectors with huge growth potential, the Lt Governor stated that while efforts are on to improve the infrastructure facilities in the tourism sector, concerted efforts are also being made to promote deep sea fishing under the fisheries sector. Both the sectors can help in the economic progress as well as employment generation in the Islands, he said. He further stated that government alone cannot run every institution and emphasised the need to revive ‘the spirit of free enterprise’, for which he called upon people to prepare development projects and assured full support of the Administration.
In his brief address, Shri R.K. Thenvi, General Manager, NABARD, stated that A&N State Cooperative Bank Ltd is the only bank in the country to provide banking services at the door step of the people across the Islands. He assured full support of NABARD in implementing various people friendly banking schemes by the Cooperative bank in the Islands.
In his address, Shri Ravinder Rao, Managing Director, ANSCB Ltd highlighted the activities and initiatives taken up by the bank for the welfare of people of the Islands. He stated that the bank which started during the year 1965 with an amount of Rs 85,000/- has now crossed a turnover of Rs 900/- crores.
Earlier, welcoming the chief guest and others, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Vice-Chairman, A&N State Cooperative Bank Ltd informed that the A&N State Cooperative Bank Ltd is the only bank in the Islands with 29 branches spread across the Islands. The Tushnabad Bank branch will be the 8th branch of the ANSCB Ltd to start Cooperative Card scheme for door delivery of pension to the old age, widow and disabled persons.
The function concluded with the vote of thanks proposed by the General Manager, A&N SCB Ltd, Shri K. Murgan. The Chief Secretary, Shri Anand Prakash, senior officers of the Administration, PRI members and people of the area were present on the occasion.
