PHONE : 03192 230269/230230 • FAX : 03192 234325 • E-MAIL : echopress4@gmail.com/and@echoofindia.com

DAILY FROM KOLKATA • PORT BLAIR • SILIGURI

VOL XI ISSUE NO 117 PAGES 8 PORT BLAIR • THURSDAY • MAY 17, 2018 Rs 3.00

THE ECHO OF INDIAwww.echoofindia.com

EOI Exclusive dialogue with isles Member of ParliamentANI embarked on path of unprecedented

development under PM Modi: Ray

ROOPA LALL

As political parties and their leaders gear up for the ensuing LokSabha election scheduled next

year, the lone Member of Parliament fromAndaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI), MrBishnu Pada Ray (BPR) is busy interact-ing with common masses here and takingup their issues with the concerned au-thorities in the administration as well asthe Union Government. In an exclusiveinterview to EOI’s Senior Correspond-ent, Ms Roopa Lall (RL), Mr Ray said heis striving hard to bring to the notice ofthe state as well as central leadership, theproblems and issues faced by the peopleof the Islands. “I’m trying my level best tobring happiness and smiles for people byraising their issues at the appropriate fo-rum and provide fillip to the infrastruc-ture development projects in all fronts.Excerpts from the interview :

RL: The 2019 Lok Sabha election isapproaching. What is your expectationfrom your party in terms of declaringyou as the BJP candidate from the A&NParliamentary Constituency?

BPR: Look, the people of our Islands arewell aware of my initiatives in taking for-ward the development projects in the Is-lands. They know that I am the instrumen-tal force in all the major developmentprojects which have been completed andalso those projects which are under differ-ent stages of progress. These projects havebeen initiated after persistent efforts frommy side. I have got cleared all the majorprojects from the central government andhave been raising important issues of thepeople of the Islands in the Parliament ontime to time basis. This is exactly for whichI have been chosen by the people of the Is-lands and I can assure you that I will neverdisappoint my Islanders. As regard yoursecond question about chances of my get-ting the Lok Sabha ticket for the 2019 elec-tion, it is for the central leadership to de-cide, but let me make it clear, that it is butsure that if I am denied the ticket, I will notgo against the party to contest the election.However, this chance will not come ever.

RL: How satisfied are you from yourworks? As a Member of Parliament do youthink the administration is following theprotocol?

BPR: In reply to your question, I could saythat a number of major projects have alreadycommenced, some projects are about to com-mence. I am really glad that I have put in mymaximum efforts in getting the clearance fromthe central ministries. Here, I would also liketo express my sincere gratitude to our PrimeMinster, Mr Narendra Modi ji who has ex-tended his unflinching support and coopera-tion, whenever I approached him on the issuesrelating to our islands. I am a person who con-stantly moves on ground, mingle up with thepeople at the grass root level, hear their issuesand problems and then raise them before theconcerned authorities. I regularly visit differ-ent parts of these islands, stay and dine withthe people as a common individual rather asparliamentarian, discuss with them their is-sues and try to resolve them as per their aspi-rations. Since I work with the people at thegrass-root level, I have been accepted by them.Regarding administration following the proto-col, initially there were some issues, but thingsare much better now.

RL: Sir, what is your stand on the InnerLine Permit issue? Your role in introductionof ILP in the Islands?

BPR: I was the first person to raise this is-sue in the Parliament, but unfortunately, I didnot get enough response and the issue did notmove forward as expected due to an Indian Ga-zette Notification clause on this issue. But thatdoesn’t mean I have abandoned the issue. I hadraised the issue again underscoring that im-plementation of ILP is necessary since theseislands has its strategic importance and due toits limited carrying capacity. The issue is verymuch alive and under discussion at variouslevels.

RL: We have heard that you get little co-operation from the administration in re-solving public issues.

BPR: No, this is not true. The administra-tion has been very supportive to me and when-ever I request for meeting time from the LtGovernor, he calls me and patiently hear myissues and accordingly directs the concernedofficers to resolve these issues on priority.Even the Chief Secretary and other adminis-trative Secretaries are very cooperative andsupportive to me all the time. Regardless, letme tell you that I am a staunch believer ofLegendary Guru Rabindranath Tagore, Hisbeautify poetry ‘Ekla Chalo Re’ has not onlyinspired me but lakhs of other people. It meansif they answer not to your call, walk alone.

Even if I do not get the support of anybody, Iwill not stop and will continue to take up theissues of the people before the right forum.

RL: Can you list out some of your majorachievements in the past four years?

BPR: It would not be possible to elabo-rate on all the works carried out in the pastfour years. Two bridge projects on the na-tional highway in Middle Strait andHumfreyfunj Strait are two major infrastruc-ture projects approved by the Modi govern-ment for these islands. Construction of theone at Humfregunj is in progress while, ef-forts are on to obtain all necessary clearancesfor the Middle Strait bridge so that construc-tion gets underway at the earliest. It was dueto my persistent requests to the Central Gov-ernment that the Andaman Trunk Road wasdeclared as National Highways fromChidiyatapu to Diglipur (KM 0 to 333) as twolane road and construction works are inprogress as per plans. Recently the state high-way connecting 15 villages of Car Nicobar fora length 45.75 km was granted the status ofNational Highway.

Another big IT project is the laying ofsubmarine cable from Chennai to Port Blair.The project costing Rs 1102.38 crore was ap-proved by the Cabinet on 21st September2016 and is likely to be completed by 2019.The completion of the project will ensureconnectivity improving in A&N Islands withmainland and rest of the world. The UnionGovernment constituted a Committee underthe chairmanship of Mr Vivek Rae to lookinto various land related issues including en-hanced compensation to the submerged tsu-nami land. The Chairperson and members ofthe Committee visited various affected partsof the islands for examination and to makerecommendations to the Home Affairs Minis-try MHA for consideration of various landmatters. Construction of a new Integrated Air-

port Terminal Building at Port Blair airportat a cost of 314.61 crores is under progressand is likely to be completed by 2020. I alsotook up the matter of extension of Naval Airbase at Campbell Bay during 26th Novem-ber 2014. The principle approval for theproject was given by the Defence Ministryon 24th May 2016. However, the CRZ clear-ance is still pending which is now under ac-tive consideration. Union Minister, Mr NitinGadkari announced the Andaman MarineDrive project on 5th October 2017, a 24.47km project connecting Prem Nagar toDandus Point via Minnie Bay, Dollygunj,Attam Pahad, Garacharma, Shippighat, LallPhad, Chouldhari, Badmas Pahad,Mithakhadi and Hatitapu at a cost of Rs 400crores. Approval for extension of Naval AirStation at Shibpur, Diglipur, NorthAndaman from 1000 mtrs to 3050 mtrs wasaccorded on 24th May 2016 but the projectis awaiting forest clearance for over 2-3years and is now in active considerationwith the concerned Ministry.

Commencement of the ANISHI schemein the A&N Islands from 26th January 2015has benefitted scores of needy islanders tilldate. Under the scheme, free treatment upto Rs 5 lakh for islanders and Retired Govt.servant and for the Islanders income below3 lakhs for referral case to mainland empan-elled hospitals like heart operation, cancer,kidney problems, brain tamer and acciden-tal cases.

I raised the issue of implementation of1/30th plus dearness allowances to dailyrated workers employed in different de-partments of the administration in Parlia-ment in August 2015. Following the assentof the Union Government, 6916 DRMs work-ing in 27 departments will get the benefitsof which 4081 DRMs of different depart-ment have been extended the pay benefitsfrom September last year. Daily rated work-ers not eligible to get the benefits of 1/30thpay scale have been gifted with enhancedwages of 437/, 494/- Rs. 579/- and Rs 637/-with two time VDA every year according totheir categories of engagement from 01/01/2018. In short, DRMs in this category will getadditional monetary benefits to the tune ofaround Rs 6000/- per month.

BJP state chief meetsUnion Transport Minister

PORT BLAIR, MAY 16/--/The state president ofBJP, A&N Islands, MrVishal Jolly and MrIndrapal Singh, Chair-man, PBMC met Mr NitinGadkari, Minister ofRoad Transport, High-

445 sanctionedposts vacant in

Health Dept: MPPORT BLAIR, MAY 16/--/ The Memberof Parliament, Mr Bishnu Pada Ray,has urged the Lt. Governor to expeditesteps to fill up sanctioned posts in theHealth Department lying vacant forthe past two to three years. Submit-ting details of sanctioned posts inGroup A, Group B (G), Group (NG) andGroup C categories, the Member ofParliament brought to the notice ofthe Lt. Governor that altogether 83posts in the Group A category, 13 inGroup B (G), 78 in Group B (NG) and271 in Group C category have not beenfilled up till date. “Delay in filling upthe sanctioned vacancies is deprivingunemployment youth of their chanceto secure government employment be-sides hampering smooth functioningof the department,” he said requestingthe intervention of the Lt. Governorso that the vacancies are filled up asper notified recruitment rules.

EVENTS TODAYSolemn Function: At ‘Memorial ofBattle of Aberdeen’ at Water SportsComplex at 9 am to pay tribute to thoseGreat Andamanese, who lost their livesduring the battle fought in the year 1859.

Coaching: Table Tennis (TT) coach-ing camp by Andaman Nicobar IslandsTable Tennis Association (ANITTA) inassociation with Young Men’s ChristianAssociation (YMCA) at the YMCA Multi-Purpose Hall.

Sailing: MV Bharat Seema to sail forCar Nicobar via Hut Bay at 7 am fromHaddo wharf.

Ayurveda Camp: Doctors of RegionalResearch Centre of Ayurveda to conductfree health camp and survey at Kamortaand Nancowry.

Yoga Classes: Summer VacationYoga classes by Sai Yoga Education andCharitable Trust and Andaman andNicobar Yoga Association from 4 pm to 5pm.

way & Shipping in NewDelhi on Wednesday. Dur-ing the meeting, Mr Jollyrequested the interven-tion of the Minister forearly commencement ofChatham -BambooflatBridge work, execution

of Middle Strait andBaratang Bridge in a timebound manner. The del-egation also discussedother issues pertainingto the development ofthese islands during themeeting.

Yeddyurappa meets Guv, requestshim to invite BJP to form govt

BENGALURU : BJP's Karnataka unitchief B S Yeddyurappa today said hemet Governor Vajubhai Vala andasked him to allow him to take oath aschief minister as the party hademerged the single largest party. Soonafter he was elected leader of the BJP

legislature party, Yeddyurappa drove tothe Raj Bhavan here and handed him aletter about his unanimous election tothe post. Yeddyurappa said he re-quested the Governor to allow him totake oath as chief minister as early aspossible. (Details on page-7)

Page-5

RCB AIM TO CONTINUE REVIVAL TAKE ON TABLE-TOPPERS SRH

Page-8

‘TURNCOAT MLA’S SHOULD BE BANNED FROM CONTESTING POLLS’