Government of India to focus on the development of island tourism
Development of Tourism in Islands
NITI Aayog has informed that they have taken up an initiative for the preparation of a Concept Development Plan and detailed Master Plans for the holistic development of 10 islands in Andaman & Nicobar as well as Lakshadweep Islands.
Andaman & Nicobar Administration has formulated a ‘Tourism Policy’ in the year 2010 for the development of tourism. Similarly, Lakshadweep Administration has notified Lakshadweep Tourism Policy-2016, which envisages a holistic development of tourism in the entire Union Territory of Lakshadweep Islands.
Lakshadweep Administration has informed that they are in the advance stage of finalising the guidelines for the establishment of the eco-friendly resorts, scuba diving centres etc. These guidelines will enable the establishment of tourism infrastructure in all the tourist focal islands of Lakshadweep through public as well as private investment and Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
A Request for Qualification (RFQ)-cum-Request for Proposal (RFP) document has been prepared and uploaded on the website of NITI Aayog for engagement of a suitable consultant to facilitate preparation of Concept Development Plan and Detailed Master Plans for five Andaman & Nicobar Islands as well as five Lakshadweep Islands.
The administration of Andaman & Nicobar Islands has established a separate department – Directorate of Disaster Management – for managing disasters. A state control room has also been established and functioning 24/7 year round. The emergency operation centres are functioning in coordination with all line departments/stakeholders under the supervision and control of state emergency operation centre with a fine state-of-art communication linkage with support of Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, Indian Meteorological Department, New Delhi, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). In Lakshadweep, the Integrated Island Management Plan (IIMP) has taken care of the protection in the event of natural calamities.
Presently, SPORTS (Society for Promotion of Nature Tourism & Sports), the Government agency of Union Territory of Lakshadweep, employs tribal people for running tourism and the Union Territory Department of Tourism is imparting training to them in the tourism-related field. The Andaman & Nicobar Administration have informed that tribal areas are not open for tourism in Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The National Institution for Transforming India, also called NITI Aayog, was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet. NITI Aayog is the premier policy ‘Think Tank’ of the Government of India, providing both directional and policy inputs. While designing strategic and long-term policies and programmes for the Government of India, NITI Aayog also provides relevant technical advice to the centre and states.
