Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 30 July 2025
Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, met the Union Finance Minister in New Delhi on Sunday and submitted a proper attraction in search of a considerable enhance in capital allocation for the Union Territory. The MP has additionally requested a particular infrastructure improvement grant of ₹5,000 crore to handle crucial gaps in public infrastructure throughout the Islands.
The detailed letter, addressed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Finance Minister—with copies endorsed to the Lt. Governor, Chief Secretary, and senior officers of the A&N Administration—underscores the long-standing developmental backlog within the territory.
During his assembly, Mr. Ray emphasised the pressing want to spice up capital expenditure within the Revised Estimates (RE) 2025–26 and Budget Estimates (BE) 2026–27. He urged the Centre to commit enhanced budgetary assist for the subsequent 5 years, citing the area’s remoteness, strategic significance, and protracted lack of primary infrastructure.
Highlighting key issues, the MP identified that the present capital allocation for 2025–26 stands at simply ₹555 crore out of a complete ₹6,267 crore funds, leaving merely ₹70 crore for brand spanking new building underneath the APWD. He referred to as this grossly insufficient to serve the developmental wants of over 40 departments working within the Islands.
“Many tribal and backward areas, particularly in North and Middle Andaman, still lack road connectivity even after more than five decades of settlement,” Mr. Ray stated. He famous that just about 1,300 km of the whole 2,500 km of roads throughout companies similar to APWD, PRIs, and the Municipal Council are both severely broken or in a state of full disrepair.
Mr. Ray additionally drew consideration to the underutilization of beforehand sanctioned particular grants, together with the ₹279 crore introduced by the Prime Minister in 2018, attributing it to weak native implementation and lack of participatory planning resulting from rare District Planning Committee conferences.
In his attraction, the MP proposed 4 key calls for:
1. Preparation of a complete, need-based capital expenditure proposal underneath RE 2025–26 and BE 2026–27 by the A&N Administration.
2. Enhanced capital funding for the subsequent 5 years, contemplating the distinctive challenges of the Islands.
3. A particular infrastructure grant of ₹5,000 crore for rural and concrete roads, water pipelines, erosion management, tsunami shelter renovation, well being and schooling infrastructure, and extra.
4. Deployment of a multidisciplinary central knowledgeable crew to evaluate floor realities and formulate an built-in infrastructure improvement plan.
Stressing the significance of quick intervention, Mr. Ray said, “This financial support is critical to bridging the developmental divide, uplifting rural and tribal communities, and building resilient infrastructure in this strategically vital region.”
He expressed optimism that the Finance Ministry and the Government of India would act on the proposal with urgency and empathy for the welfare of the individuals of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
