On October 16, 2021, Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Cooperation inaugurated 14 projects worth Rs 299 crore and laid foundation stones of 12 projects worth Rs 643 crore from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. With this, a development work of about Rs 1,000 crore is initiated in Andaman Islands.
- He also conducted an aerial survey of Rani Laxmibai Dweep, ShaheedDweep Eco Tourism Project, Swaraj Dweep Water Aerodrome and other development projects.
- Amit Shah was on three-day visit to Andaman and Nicobar Islands during which he also visited Cellular jail (Kalapani), a colonial jail used to exile political prisoners by the Britishers.
Key Developments Projects:
i.A newly inaugurated bridge will be named as Azad Hind Fauj Bridge.
ii.Initiation of new facility for heart patients, in which angioplasty can also be done and pacemakers can also be installed.
iii.An AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) hospital has also been built here and 49 Wellness Centers cum help Centers have been set up.
Renaming of Mount Harriet as Mount Manipur
Manipur had a significant contribution to the independence movement, but the state never got their due recognition for the same. In order to acknowledge this, the Central Government has renamed Mount Harriet, an island peak in Andaman and Nicobar islands as Mount Manipur as a tribute to the freedom fighters of Manipur.
- Mount Harriet is the third-highest island peak in Andaman and Nicobar islands, where Manipur’s Maharaja Kulchandra Singh and 22 other freedom fighters were imprisoned during the Anglo-Manipuri war (1891).
Points to be noted:
i.The Central Government will assist the Manipur government in constructing a memorial site at Mount Manipur. The process for signing lease agreement between Andaman Government and Manipur Government is under process.
ii.On August 13, 2021 Manipur unveiled a monolith dedicated to the unsung heroes of the Anglo-Manipur war in 1891.
iii.Manipur was the only state that had its own constitution before India adopted the present constitution in 1950. It established a democratic form of Government.
iv.Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island was earlier known as Ross Island. It was renamed in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
About Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
Lieutenant Governor– Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi
Capital– Port Blair
Zoological Site– Zoological Survey of India Museum
Recent Related News:
Manipur’s Sirarakhong Chilli (Hathei Chilly) and Tamenglong Orange have received the Geographical Index (GI) tag.
