Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's opening remarks at press interaction at Port Blair

"I have visited some of the effected places yesterday and today and saw the intermediate shelters built for those displaced by the Tsunami and also interacted with their residents. The immediate need last year was to provide shelter to those affected before the onset of the next monsoon in 2005. I am happy that all intermediate shelters were built in time and no one is homeless. Other relief was also provided - cash grants, free foodgrains, compensation for losses and grants for repair of boats. The immediate restoration of road and sea communication was also achieved.

After my visit, I have come to the conclusion that action needs to be taken on many fronts so that peoples' livelihoods are completely restored and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands grow in tandem with the rest of the country.

Some issues, which our Government will take up, are:

- I feel that some flexibility is needed in the construction of permanent houses. The Government will examine alternate options while retaining the structural design of the houses.

- There are about 1,000 affected families who are currently not eligible for permanent housing as they do not have titles. We need to take a humanitarian view of the matter. They will be provided houses, may be in different locations.

- There are still many families whose breadwinners are missing. Their survivors, I am told, are facing problems in accessing bank accounts. We will provide an appropriate legislative framework to ensure that the survivors' problems in this regard are solved.

- I recognize the need to speed up construction of jetties in these islands. The funds are there in the rehabilitation plan. We will delegate powers substantially so that construction proceeds faster.

- In some islands, particularly in Great Nicobar, roads have been completely destroyed and need to be constructed fast. This is priority for the residents.

- To restore livelihoods much more needs to be done. We will remove the restrictions on Government recruitment so that 650 posts can be filled soon. We will conduct a survey of employment needs of the youth to identify areas where employment generation requires a boost. Recruitment of teachers, 'anganwadi' workers needs to be speeded up by the local administration.

- There are problems related to higher education in the remote islands. I will ask 16 National Open Universities to work on opening distance learning centres in the more remote islands.

- Being a far-flung territory, there is a desire to have a new district, particularly in North and Middle Andaman at Mayabunder. The Government is examining this issue seriously.

- Tourism has immense potential in the islands. I will examine the possibility of making Port Blair an international airport, which I feel, will help in promoting tourism.

- Many people have met me and have expressed a desire to have a more representative form of government. This is a valid, understandable desire. We will look into it with sincerity and sympathy".