Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 29 April 2025
The two-day conference SANGITI-2025 (Survey of Andaman & Nicobar Governance Initiatives for Transformative Islands) commenced on 28th April 2025, at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRAIT), Sri Vijaya Puram. Organized by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the event was inaugurated by Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retd.), Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of the A&N Islands and Vice Chairman of the Islands Development Agency.
The event began with a solemn two-minute silence to pay tribute to the victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Present at the inauguration were Chief Secretary Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, senior officials from NITI Aayog, Defence and Civil Administration, tourism stakeholders, and other dignitaries.
In his inaugural address, Lt. Governor Joshi described the conference as a “path-breaking initiative” aimed at fostering open-ended discussions among stakeholders to realize the Viksit Bharat Vision 2047 of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Emphasizing the Union Territory’s role in India’s journey towards becoming a $5 trillion economy, he highlighted the Administration’s focus on quality of life, ease of business and living, infrastructure, and essential services like power, potable water, and healthcare.
He noted that unlike many regions on the mainland, the A&N Islands have effectively implemented numerous central government schemes and consistently ranked high in national evaluations. The Islands were recently recognized as the “Top Achiever in Two Citizen Centric Reform Areas” under the Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) and led the 1st and 3rd Rozgar Melas by issuing the highest number of appointment letters. Over 5,000 government vacancies have been filled in the past two years, and the Islands now stand as the first Swachh Sujal UT in the country.
Highlighting infrastructure developments, the Lt. Governor mentioned successful projects such as the undersea Optical Fiber Cable (OFC), the bridge over Humphrey Strait, and the new terminal building at Veer Savarkar International Airport. He stated that multiple other projects are underway or in advanced planning stages, representing a significant shift in the development trajectory of the Islands.
He also proposed positioning the A&N Islands as a premier scuba diving destination in the Indian Ocean Region, including efforts to set new underwater Guinness World Records. Stressing the importance of tourist safety, he referenced the Pahalgam incident to underline the need for secure travel environments.
During the event, the Lt. Governor launched the official Andaman & Nicobar Islands Tourism App, released a Tourism Activity Calendar, virtually inaugurated rooftop solar power plants on government buildings, and launched the DAKSHATA programme aimed at institutional development.
Speaking at the event, Chief Secretary Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar highlighted that the conference was inspired by a directive from the Hon’ble Prime Minister during the Chief Secretaries’ Conference in December 2024, encouraging grassroots engagement through similar state- and UT-level events. He noted that SANGITI-2025 is structured around seven key themes:
1 Tourism
2 Biodiversity
3 Mobility
4 Energy
5 Strategic Security
6 Water and Circular Economy
7 Agriculture and Fisheries
Dr. Kumar expressed confidence that the deliberations would help create a strategic roadmap for the financial year 2025–26 and beyond.
The day’s sessions saw in-depth discussions on tourism, biodiversity, mobility, and energy. Commissioner ASPS Raviprakash welcomed the participants, and Secretary (Planning) Dr. Aman Gupta delivered the vote of thanks. (Story Based on PR)