Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 27 June 2025
The Chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee, Mr. TSG Bhasker, has urged the Andaman and Nicobar Administration to immediately initiate a Special Drive for the issuance of Islander Cards in the Nicobar group of Islands.
In a formal letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, Mr. Bhasker expressed deep concern over the prolonged exclusion of a significant section of the tribal population from access to the Islander Card — a critical identity document that facilitates various entitlements and concessions. Highlighting the situation, he noted that no dedicated drive for issuing Islander Cards has been conducted in the Nicobar region since the devastating 2004 tsunami, leaving many tribal families—who are among the original inhabitants of the Islands—without the card.
“These communities face severe hardships in inter-island travel, including booking ships and helicopters, due to the absence of Islander Cards,” Mr. Bhasker stated. “They are denied fare concessions and are compelled to pay full rates for essential travel, which is both unjust and unacceptable.”
Calling for urgent administrative action, Mr. Bhasker appealed to the Administration to conduct a Special Enrolment Drive exclusively for the tribal communities in the Nicobar region.
“This is not just an administrative task; it is a step towards tribal justice and social inclusion,” he reiterated in his concluding remarks.
