In a series of significant meetings in New Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands MP Bishnu Pada Ray met Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, pressing for stronger financial and administrative support to accelerate development across the Union Territory.
During his meeting with the Home Minister at Parliament House, the MP welcomed Amit Shah for his scheduled visit to Sri Vijayapuram on 11–12 December 2025 and raised a comprehensive set of issues concerning the islands’ development. Along with broader discussions, he submitted a charter of key demands aimed at strengthening governance, public welfare, and employment opportunities.
The charter included proposals for introducing a Domicile Law to ensure job reservation for islanders and fixing the upper age limit for government employment at 40 years, similar to the model implemented in Ladakh. The MP also sought enhancement of the annual UT budget, sanctioning a special financial assistance package of ₹5,000 crore, and the early constitution of the OBC Commission for the islands. Requests were also made for granting adequate funds, powers, and functions to Panchayati Raj Institutions and municipal bodies as mandated under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, along with convening a meeting of the Home Ministry’s Advisory Council to address pending administrative and developmental matters.
According to officials, the Home Minister responded positively to the issues raised and assured that the concerns flagged by the MP would be considered. Ray later expressed gratitude for the encouraging response and acknowledged the minister’s continued support for the overall development of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
In a separate meeting, the MP met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and highlighted the financial bottlenecks slowing down multiple infrastructure projects across the UT. He urged enhancement of the budget under the Capital Head, stating that current allocations were inadequate for the scale of ongoing and proposed works, particularly in the municipal areas and six newly extended wards. He reiterated the need for a ₹5,000 crore special package and an increase in allocations proposed under the Revised Estimates for 2025–26 and Budget Estimates for 2026–27.
The Finance Minister sought clarification on why the Centre’s Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure, offering 50-year zero-interest loans, had not been availed. Ministry officials explained that the scheme applies only to State Governments and is not accessible to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which receives funding directly through the Ministry of Home Affairs and lacks a Legislative Assembly.
Following the discussion, the Finance Minister assured that the ministry would positively consider strengthening the UT’s capital budget in the upcoming financial cycle. Ray said such support would help accelerate long-pending infrastructure projects and reinforce the islands’ development trajectory.
