Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 01 July 2025
Admiral D.K. Joshi (Retd.), PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM, the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Vice Chairman of the Islands Development Agency, participated in the National Conference on the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 held in New Delhi on 30th June. The event was presided over by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Cooperation, Mr. Amit Shah.
Addressing the gathering, the Lt. Governor showcased the success of the Tribal Development Cooperative Society in the Nicobar Islands, particularly highlighting the Virgin Coconut Oil produced by the Nicobarese community. The product recently received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag, along with six other items, marking a milestone in the economic empowerment of tribal communities through the cooperative movement.
He extended heartfelt thanks to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, for recognizing and featuring this achievement in the first 2025 edition of the widely followed ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on Akashvani.
The Lt. Governor drew attention to the sharp decline in agricultural land in the Andaman Islands due to indiscriminate land use conversion (CLU) from agriculture to commercial purposes. He stated that such practices have led to a 40% reduction in agricultural land, severely impacting agriculture, dairy, poultry, and animal husbandry—core sectors for cooperatives. Only 2.5% of the land area in the islands now remains classified as agricultural land, he noted.
The Lt. Governor also expressed appreciation towards the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for designating the Islands as a Tuna Cluster. He lauded initiatives such as the promotion of motorized fishing boats, mechanized deep-sea trawlers, fisheries exports, and shrimp farming—all being developed through cooperative models.
In addition, he thanked the Hon’ble Home Minister for facilitating the establishment of MPEDA (Marine Products Export Development Authority) and EIA (Export Inspection Agency) offices in Sri Vijaya Puram. These facilities will play a pivotal role in enabling direct export of fisheries and marine products to Southeast Asian markets, further boosting cooperative-led economic growth in the region. (Story Based on PR)
