MP Bishnu Pada Ray Meets Union Finance Minister; Seeks Enhanced UT Price range and ₹5,000 Crore Special Assistance

Tarun Karthick

Sri Vijaya Puram, 10 December 2025

Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, met Union Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman at present and urged the Centre to reinforce the annual finances allocation for the Union Territory underneath the Capital Head. He identified that the current allocation has been inadequate, slowing down a number of essential improvement tasks throughout the Islands.

During the dialogue, the MP requested that the annual finances for the UT be elevated in accordance with the proposals submitted by the A&N Administration for RE 2025–26 and BE 2026–27. He additionally sought a particular monetary help package deal of ₹5,000 crore to expedite long-pending infrastructure tasks throughout the Islands, together with works within the prolonged six municipal wards.

The Finance Minister additionally sought readability on why the Union Territory had not availed advantages underneath the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure (SSKM), which affords 50-year zero-interest loans to States. After consultations with Ministry officers, it was clarified that the scheme is relevant solely to State Governments. Since the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is a Union Territory with out a Legislative Assembly and receives budgetary help immediately from the Ministry of Home Affairs, it isn’t eligible for SSKM advantages.

Following the clarification, Mrs. Sitharaman assured the MP that the Ministry would positively take into account enhancing the UT’s capital expenditure allocation within the forthcoming monetary cycle.

Mr. Bishnu Pada Ray thanked the Finance Minister for her constructive response and for her dedication towards strengthening the event framework of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.