Lakshadweep islands set for major upgrade! India has planned a Rs 3,600-crore-plus infrastructure upgrade for the Lakshadweep islands to transform them into a tourist hub. The development includes the establishment of port facilities at Androth, Kalpeni, and Kadamat islands, as well as the construction of beachfront and peripheral roads at Kadamat Island (East), Agatti Island (East), and Kavaratti Island.
According to an ET report, the funds for these projects will be sourced from the Sagarmala scheme for port development. A total of 13 projects have been identified for the 36 Lakshadweep islands, which cover an area of 32 square kilometres and are located 220-440 km off the Kerala coast in the Arabian Sea.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had previously announced in her Interim Budget 2024 speech a focus on developing port connectivity, tourism infrastructure, and amenities on the islands, including Lakshadweep, to promote domestic tourism and generate employment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep earlier this year also drew attention to the potential of the islands.
Following a post on X by PM Modi, three deputy ministers from Maldives made disparaging remarks about Modi, sparking outrage on social media. Many advocated for boycotting Maldives and suggested Lakshadweep as an alternative.
However, despite its picturesque beaches, coral islands, and crystal-clear waters, Lakshadweep currently lacks adequate infrastructure and facilities to accommodate a large number of tourists.
The Sagarmala plan was launched in July 2015 and is a central sector scheme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. It aims to promote port-led development in India by harnessing the country’s coastline, potentially navigable waterways, and strategic location on international maritime trade routes.
Under the Sagarmala scheme, financial assistance is provided to projects with high social impact, even if they have low internal rate of return. So far, a total of 171 projects worth Rs 4,525 crore have received support, with 55 projects already completed. There are more than 800 projects worth Rs 5.8 lakh crore that are planned for implementation under the
Sagarmala scheme, of which 241 projects worth Rs 1.22 lakh crore have been completed.