Port Blair, July 07: Mr. Vishal Jolly Former State President, BJP- A & N islands & Member Home Ministry Advisory Committee, GoI spoke with the MoS (Home) Mr. G. Kishen Reddy during virtual meeting held on 05.07.2021
In his initial remarks Mr. Jolly thanked Mananiya Mr. Kishen Reddy (MOS) Home for Standing with people of our Islands to solve every Issue and connecting with BJP Karyakartha’s of our Islands virtually to know the ground reality.
Mr. Vishal Jolly bought some very important issues to light in front of the Honorable Minister. Starting with
1) Vaccination: The Center has been providing vaccines to Andaman and Nicobar islands as much as possible and the Andaman Administration has done a tremendous job by establishing cold chain to far off Islands making it possible for vaccination work to start there as well.
The Population of 18+ age Group in our islands is 237000 and total population is around 4 lacs. Currently, there are 157978 first doses and 28000 second doses which has been administered and we are left with around 30000 doses. This is the present situation of Vaccination in our Islands.
Due to the fact that our Islands are far from Mainland and scattered in many small islands. It has the two most important characteristics that can help a population attain Herd Immunity faster, first that we are small in population and second that we are isolated. His request to the Centre regarding this issue, was to get the remaining 1,20,000 dose now and the rest 1,80,000 doses in the next 2 months, so we have the chance to be the first territory in India to attain heard immunity. Helping the local people and business to gain momentum and restart their livelihood.
2) Pradhan Mantri Garib kalyan Yojana: and all other schemes through which the central Govt under the leadership of Modi is providing free ration to 80 crore people free of cost is in itself an astounding Initiative which has left the whole world awestruck.
But it’s shocking to inform you that in A&N islands there are only 1,07,000 total Ration cards of which there are only APL 33400 rations cards ,Phh-6740 and Aay-63 in North and Middle Andaman and only AAY card – 968, PHH cards – 478 in middle Andaman and South Andaman, due to which not even 4000-5000 families in our islands are able to get Ration from the central schemes.
Reason being, that the BPL survey was conducted about 20 years ago in 2002 and has not been refreshed since. Vishal requested this survey to be conducted again immediately so that more of our people are able to benefit from the Central Schemes.
3) Administration: Vishal Jolly thanked central Govt and Mr. G Kishen Reddy for the new Chief Secretary and appreciated work done by the new CS, saying that many things have come in line and showed his gratitude towards the officers who have been working tirelessly during this phase of the pandemic. He also expressed his serious concern over the decision making process of the Administration. He said, “In the present form of governance it seems that there is no role of any Political Party, MP or stakeholders in any decision taken by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. There is no assembly or Pradesh council.” He also talked about how Zilla Parishad and Municipal Council rights have been taken away. He said, “Its looks like the decision taken by the Administration is taken by a Ruler and not by a people led Government”
As a resolution he requested continued guidance and a visit to our Islands, and for political say Vishal requested for a Pradesh Council with Full Executive powers so that people of Andaman don’t have to request central ministers for solution of internal issues of our islands and so that these issues can be solved locally.