New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) From lagoon villas and luxury tents in Lakshadweep to astro tourism and bird watching in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the government is expanding its tourism offerings across the island Union territories to attract more domestic and international visitors, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.
In a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said tourism has been identified as a key sector for the economic development of the islands, with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands promoting eco-tourism, cruise tourism, cultural, heritage and adventure tourism, besides developing new tourist circuits.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration has also introduced innovative policies for bird watching, caravan tourism, luxury tents, astro tourism and houseboat tourism, the minister added.
To meet the growing demand for tourist accommodation, eco-tourism projects at Shaheed Dweep, Aves, Long and Smith Islands and a brownfield project for the Megapode resort at Sri Vijaya Puram are being developed through the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.
The Radhanagar beach at Swaraj Dweep has received Blue Flag certification, while infrastructure at five additional beaches has been upgraded.
In Lakshadweep, the administration is developing first-of-its-kind lagoon villas at the Minicoy, Kadmat and Suheli islands under the PPP model. To meet the long-standing demand for accommodation at Bangaram and Thinnakara, 50 luxury tented stays at Bangaram and 100 tents at Thinnakara have been made operational.
The Thundi beach at Minicoy and the Kadmat beach have also been certified as Blue Flag beaches, while two more beaches have been identified for similar certification.
Tourism expansion is also being supported by improved connectivity. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands has operationalised a new terminal at the Veer Savarkar International Airport in Sri Vijaya Puram, with a capacity to handle 50 lakh passengers annually.
Helicopter services are operational from Sri Vijaya Puram to several destinations, while the Union Territory has planned 19-seater fixed-wing aircraft connectivity to Diglipur, Car Nicobar and Campbell Bay under the UDAN scheme. Maritime connectivity has also been strengthened through new vessels and improved jetty infrastructure.
In Lakshadweep, regular flights connect the mainland with Agatti, while ferry services provide inter-island connectivity. Successful trials of seaplane landings have also been conducted at Kavaratti, Agatti, Kadmat, Kalpeni and Kiltan.
The minister said infrastructure development, including roads, ports, jetties and shipping services, is also being undertaken to support economic activity on the islands.
On fisheries and the Blue Economy, Rai said initiatives in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands include open-sea cage culture, seaweed cultivation, pearl farming and improved fisheries infrastructure. In Lakshadweep, 388 beneficiary-oriented projects under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana have been completed, along with the establishment of a seaweed cluster.
The minister said these initiatives are aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth and improving livelihood opportunities in the island Union territories. PTI MHS RC
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.