MP Bishnu Pada Ray and Others Criticizes Lt. Governor for Neglecting Development and Infrastructure in A&N Islands

TMI Bureau

Port Blair, July 31: Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Member of Parliament, has raised several concerns regarding the alleged irresponsible approach of Lieutenant Governor Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi towards the development, maintenance, and repair of shipping ports in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ray highlighted the non-existence of proper tug boats and cranes at wharfs as a significant issue.

Furthermore, many areas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands continue to face electricity and water supply crises, which Ray claims are being neglected by the Lieutenant Governor. Of the 2024-25 budget allocation of approximately Rs.5866 crores sanctioned by the Government of India for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Rs.5399 crores are reportedly planned to be spent on salaries, leaving only Rs.467 crores for overall infrastructure development. This includes roads, footpaths, and expenses for various departments such as health, fisheries, and agriculture. Ray suggests that this long-standing budgetary practice has hindered the overall development of the islands, causing significant concern among the residents.

Additionally, public representatives, including those in the municipal and panchayat levels, are allegedly rendered powerless, with administrative staff only partially addressing public issues unsatisfactorily. Ray has described the current period as "worse than the British era." He also pointed out that out of eight vehicles at the Deputy Resident Commissioner Office in New Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor has five luxurious vehicles funded by the A&N Islands. (Pix on Page 6)

A few months ago, Shri Ajoy Bairagi, BJP State President of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, along with party workers, urged the concerned ministers to recall the current Lieutenant Governor, citing his allegedly unfriendly approaches and plans against the people of the islands. Recently, Shri Manick Rao also posted a video on social media, which was telecasted on the Andaman YouTube news channel, criticizing the Lieutenant Governor as the worst administrator the islands have ever had. Rao has expressed his intent to join efforts with Shri Bishnu Pada Ray in addressing these issues.

The majority of islanders reportedly feel that the current Lieutenant Governor has been unresponsive to public concerns, with press conferences becoming rare during his tenure. Various departments in the islands are also said to have neglected the media, failing to communicate matters properly through press conferences.

Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, assumed office as the fourteenth Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on October 8, 2017. He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Islands Development Agency (IDA).

Comments

Say Good Bye to Plastic Bags - “It is Better for your Generations”

TMI Bureau Port Blair, Oct 02: As part of National Campaign against the single-use plastic and on the occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Over 25000 cloth bags (made by Skill Development Centre, DBRAIT) were distributed to general public for free by DBRAIT in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Oct 02, 2019. At different distribution points, people at large numbers collected the cloth bags in exchange of a polythene bag. Background: Less than 50 years ago plastic bags were a rarity in the world. In Andaman it's just a decade ago Polyethylene were came into use, but badly affected a lot. Before plastic bags, there was paper or cloth. Paper bags worked but they were not easy to carry and they weren't nearly as strong as plastic. The most important part is paper was more expensive to produce than plastic. The cost of disposal and clean up of plastic bags comes back to the tax payer, hazardously. However, polyethylene (the most common type of plast...

Campaign for free access to Cellular Jail gains support, calls for National Pilgrimage Status

Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept 25: A campaign demanding greater respect for India's martyrs at the historic Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has gained momentum. The movement calls for the jail, a "National Memorial," to be declared a "National Pilgrimage Site." Activists are advocating for free entry to the light and sound show for island residents and a nominal fee of Rs.30 for outside tourists. The organizers argue that, just as the central and state governments provide free religious pilgrimages, similar provisions should be made for free visits to Cellular Jail, also known as "Kala Pani." Supporters emphasize the importance of including the jail's revolutionary history in school curricula. They believe that officially recognizing the site as a national pilgrimage location would be a fitting tribute to the martyrs and freedom fighters who were imprisoned there. The campaign coincides with the birth anniversary of revolutionary marty...

Successful Surgery Gives New Life to 2.5-Year-Old Girl Born Without Properly Formed Food Pipe

Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct 30: A 2.5-year-old girl, born with a congenital condition where her esophagus (food pipe) was not properly formed, has successfully undergone a highly specialized surgery at ANIIMS (Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences). Immediately after birth, a team of ANIIMS surgeons performed emergency surgery, placing a feeding tube in her abdomen through the stomach to ensure she could receive nutrition. For over two and a half years, the child was fed through this tube, enabling her to gain adequate weight in preparation for a reconstructive surgery to create a functioning food pipe. On September 25, 2024, a complex surgery was performed to create a new esophagus for the child. During the procedure: The artificial feeding tube was removed, and the opening in the stomach was closed; A tunnel was created in the chest, and the stomach was carefully separated from surrounding organs; Using the blood supply from key arteries, the stomach was elevated be...

The Mini India

Search This Blog