Agatti (Lakshadweep):Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that numerous developmental projects have been completed in Lakshadweep over the past 10 years of his government, and the Centre is committed to the progress of the islands. The Prime Minister addressed a public function immediately after his arrival at Agatti Airport.
During his address, Modi noted the immense possibilities that Lakshadweep offers and alleged that the islands faced neglect for many years after independence. "The union territory is full of many possibilities, but for a long time after independence, the infrastructure of Lakshadweep was not given much attention," he said.
He mentioned weak port infrastructure, despite shipping being the lifeline of the islands. This applies to education, health, and even petrol and diesel as well, he said. "Even though shipping is the lifeline of the archipelago, the port infrastructure is weak. Whether it's health, education, or even petrol and diesel, we had to face a lot of problems. All these challenges are being addressed by our government," Modi said.
He said that the government has now taken up the task of developing the Lakshadweep Islands in earnest. Expressing optimism about the newly introduced ice plant at Agatti, the Prime Minister emphasised that it would pave the way for enhanced seafood processing possibilities on the island.
The Prime Minister said that many development projects were completed in Agatti in the past 10 years and mentioned the creation of modern facilities, especially for fishermen. He also touched upon the fact that Agatti now has an airport as well as an ice plant. Thanks to this, Modi said, new possibilities are being created for the seafood export and seafood processing sectors.
He mentioned the initiation of the export of tuna fish from Lakshadweep, which has also paved the way for increasing the income of the fishermen in the union territory. Referring to new development projects, the prime minister mentioned the inauguration of a solar plant and an aviation fuel depot to meet the electricity and other energy needs of Lakshadweep.
He also spoke about providing tapped water connections to all houses on Agatti Island and reiterated the government's efforts to ensure houses, toilets, electricity, and cooking gas for the poor. The Government of India is working with full commitment for the development of the entire Lakshadweep, including Agatti," Modi added.
During this visit to Lakshadweep, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and dedicate to the nation development projects worth more than Rs 1,150 crore. In what would become a transformational initiative, the prime minister had resolved to overcome the challenge of slow internet speed on Lakshadweep Island with the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Connection (KLI - SOFC) project, which he had announced in his Independence Day speech in August 2020 at Red Fort.
The project has now been completed and will be inaugurated by the PM, an official statement said. This will lead to an increase in internet speed of more than 100 times (from 1.7 Gbps to 200 Gbps) in the islands. For the first time, Lakshadweep will be connected through submarine optical fibre cable, it said.
The statement said the dedicated submarine OFC will ensure a paradigm shift in communication infrastructure in the Lakshadweep islands, enabling faster and more reliable internet services, telemedicine, e-governance, educational initiatives, digital banking, digital currency usage, digital literacy, etc. The PM will also inaugurate the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kadmat. This will produce 1.5 lakh litres of clean drinking water every day.
Modi will also dedicate to the nation the Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) in all households on the Agatti and Minicoy islands. Other projects include the solar power plant at Kavaratti, which is the first-ever battery-backed solar power project in Lakshadweep; the laying of the foundation stone for the renovation of the primary health care facility in Kalpeni; and the construction of five model Anganwadi centres (nand ghars) in the five islands of Androth, Chetlat, Kadmat, Agatti, and Minicoy, the statement added.
