Port Blair, May 11: Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, the Member of Parliament A & N Islands during Parliament session has raised two issues one each for Development of Palm Oil Plantation and for de-reservation of deemed forest before the Speaker during Zero Hours on 28.04.2015. In his speech, Shri Ray stated that Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping during his recent tour to Andaman had convened a meeting in Raj Niwas, wherein he informed that the Govt. is procuring Palm Oil from the neighboring countries like Thailand, Malaysia etc. for about one lakhs crores in every year. So, he advised the Administration to find out the possibilities of Palm Oil Plantation in the vacant and un-used lands in A & N Islands, due to the fact that the A&N Island is similar to the climate of Southern Eastern countries.
The Minister further expressed that development of Palm oil plantation is not only generate the employment opportunities, but also develop the economical condition besides saving of considerable Forex.
Shri Ray has further informed the Parliament that 90 percent area of A & N Islands is forest reserve area and out of which hardly 6-7 percent Revenue/forest land are settlement area. He further added that large areas of land in Nicobar Groups of Islands are either green grassing land or desert land. So, for proper utilization of such vacant land, Shri Ray has made approach to the Concerned Ministry as well as to the Administration for development of Palm Oil Plantation in Southern Group of islands including Chowra, Teressa, Trinket, Katchal and also in Little Andaman, Long Islands etc.
Hence, he requested the Parliament to confirm the action plan of the Administration for development of Palm Oil Plantation in all such vacant land in A & N Islands. The issue has been once again raised by him on 30.04.2015 during Zero Hours in the Parliament.
Further, Shri Ray in reference to the IDA meeting held in Andaman during 2003, informed that Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee the than Prime Minister of India also the Chairman of IDA has approved various development projects of A & N Islands. Wherein, he suggested for de-reservation 61 hectors deemed forest land for the use of settlement and for other development works. Hence, in reference to that, Shri Ray requested the Parliament to direct the Administration to furnish the report of action taken and present status of the issue”
