Former Prime Minister of India - Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Inaugural Address at the Tenth Meeting of The Island Development Authority (IDA)

~I am very pleased to be here with all of you for the Tenth Meeting of the Island Development Authority. This meeting is being held soon after the adoption of the Tenth Five Year Plan by the National Development Council last month. This is symbolic of the special attention that we are according to the development of our Islands as an integral part of India’s all-sided development.

It is pleasing to know that the IDA is meeting again in Port Blair for the first time after its inaugural meeting in 1986. But it is not so pleasing to know that the IDA is meeting after a gap of nearly six years. I would like it to meet more regularly in the future. I am, however, happy to note from the address of the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, who also chairs the Standing Committee of the IDA, that the Standing Committee has been meeting regularly.

The Islands of Andaman & Nicobar to our east and Lakshadweep to our west are a gift of nature to India. They are perfect manifestations of the infinite beauty and delicate balance, which Mother Nature strikes in her work. The lush green tropical rain forests housing priceless bio-resource; the many unique tribes who have inhabited these islands for ages; the treasure of living coral atolls that is one of the finest in the world; and the sea that reminds us of India’s vastness as well as our geographical closeness to South-East Asia on the on one hand and Africa on the other – all these features endear us to our Islands.

These natural strengths have to remain as the bedrock of development strategies for these Islands.

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands have an honoured place in the history of India’s Freedom Movement. The Cellular Jail in Port Blair narrates the story of the immense sacrifices made by our indomitable freedom fighters. The names of Veer Savarkar, Bhai Paramanand, Mahaveer Singh and others, as also the countless unnamed patriots of India’s First War of Independence, have made this place sacred for us. Today we also proudly recall that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose unfurled the Tricolour here before it was raised on the mainland. We need to take more effective steps to make successive generations of Indians aware of this inspiring saga in Indian history.

In post-Independence decades, Andaman & Nicobar Islands have become home to a vibrant and industrious community, reflecting the rich linguistic and religious diversity of our society. This too is something we cherish.

In recent times, the importance of these Islands in India’s strategic matrix has grown considerably. Therefore, we have established a joint Tri Service Andaman & Nicobar Command, controlling the assets of the three Services and the Coast Guard. This is the first ever joint command in the country.

Because of their historic contribution, their ecological richness and fragility, and their distant but strategic location, we need to adopt a different approach for our Islands’ development. The usual development plans for the mainland cannot be super-imposed on them. We have accordingly been encouraging innovative yet careful approaches for the development of these islands, while keeping in mind the aspirations of islanders.

We need to always look at the problems in their totality, with rigorous and in-depth set of studies. In this context, I am pleased to note that the Planning Commission has taken up the task of preparing Development Reports for both Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, with a view to setting out a medium-term perspective on holistic strategies for employment generation and accelerated development of the Islands.

While accelerating the pace of development, we need to be careful that we do not cause any irreversible damage to the unique, ecological and cultural heritage of these Islands. At the same time, clearly, we cannot allow these Islands being kept as ‘hot house’ specimens without allowing any constructive changes. It is the inherent right of every human being to seek a reasonable share in the fruits of civilization.

In this context, I would like to briefly share with you two thoughts. One, we need to evolve innovative and ecologically sustainable ways of promoting Island Tourism, for which there is an immense untapped potential both in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and in Lakshadweep. My recent visits to Bali and Maldives have convinced me that we need to learn from successful initiatives in this regard elsewhere in the world. We need to take effective steps to enable more and more mainland and foreign tourists, many of whom go to nearby destinations in South-East Asia, to come here.

Secondly, we should give greater thrust to such other economic activities, which will reduce the local people’s dependence on government jobs and land-intensive and low-yield agriculture. Two areas that can create large-scale employment, self-employment and business opportunities are development of fisheries and high-value horticulture and plantation crops appropriate to the agro-climatic conditions here. For this, suitable human resource development strategies will have to be worked out.

I am happy to note that the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Space have taken important decisions to improve these Islands’ connectivity, both internally and with the mainland. Pawan Hans Helicopter Service between Port Blair and other islands will be introduced shortly. For this, 90% subsidy on the fare will be given to islanders. Secondly, ISRO has established telemedicine connectivity to the Islands of Lakshadweep and Car Nicobar with the mainland. Telemedicine connectivity between Port Blair and the mainland is already in successful operation.

Many issues of an administrative nature, which are of utmost concern to the islanders, but which the IDA meetings cannot obviously accommodate, have been resolved in the Standing Committee meetings. Further, the multi-pronged development thrust given in the Tenth Plan through higher outlays, closer interaction and regular monitoring is welcome.

Both the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands have made considerable progress in democratic decentralization. This is both useful and necessary, given the wide geographical dispersion of the population residing in these Territories. All steps in this regard deserve to be encouraged. At the same time, in any democratic set up, Constitutional jurisdictions need to be respected, and the various wings of governance have to work together harmoniously for the common good.

The Island Development Authority is a very special arrangement that has been put together considering the special problems that the Islands are faced with. The convening of an IDA meeting is an occasion that reinforces the intention of the Government in working for improvement of the lives of the people resident here. The institution of IDA is intended to enable integrated high-level decisions to be taken on issues of concern. I trust that it will be so in this meeting as well.

I view this as an opportunity of renewing our commitment to the rapid and peaceful development of these territories and I expect the whole-hearted cooperation of those who have assembled here in undertaking this challenging task.

I look forward now to hear your views and suggestions on agenda items slated for the meeting.~