NEW DELHI: According to the ministry officials, the Government is working on the ‘One Island, One Resort’ concept for Andaman and Nicobar (A&N), Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu, where it had proposed to create a single resort on an islet. The policy is expected to be aimed for holistic development of identified unexplored and untapped islands for promotion of sustainable ecotourism soon
“With the collaboration of private entities, an ecosystem will be developed to open uninhabited islands to tourists and simultaneously for maintaining and preserving the natural ecosystem and rich bio-diversity there. The work is going on. On a small island, only one resort will be developed similar to existing arrangements in Maldives,” said officials, privy to the development.
A feasibility study to tap the potential for tourism development of selected islands and ‘high-quality sustainable development’ was conducted by Niti Aayog long ago.
“The study was to figure out land requirements and explore easing out of regulations for the development. In the project, multiple agencies; ministries and departments such as Defence, Home Affairs and Environment are involved. The ministries of home affairs and tourism will jointly work. The policy is at the finalisation stage,” said officials.
India has more than 1,300 off-shore identified islands including 289 points (rocks or rocky islets), the potential largely unexplored and untapped. The Government has proposed to develop a model for the holistic development of a few identified islands.
The officials said that water villas and beach villages on a couple of islands were planned besides eco-cottages.
Initially, in consultation with the UT Administrations, the concerned central ministries, departments and stakeholders, 10 islands-- Aves, Long, Little Andaman, Smith and Ross in A&N and Bangaram, Cheriyam, Minicoy, Suheli and innakara in Lakshadweep-- were identified for sustainable development. Subsequently, 17 more islands including12 in A&N and five in Lakshadweep) were selected under the initiative.
In the last budget, the Centre had announced planned development of iconic tourist centres especially islands to boost tourism in collaboration with states through their marketing and branding at the international level. In her budget speech, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had indicated that the emphasis would be on port connectivity and sprucing up of tourism infrastructure and amenities on islands including Lakshadweep.
The hospitality management institute, one each for A&N Islands and Lakshadweep was also recommended for training the islanders so that they could secure satisfactory jobs in tourism-based and other development projects, added officials.