Port Blair, June 1: To cater to the long standing demand of working women for safe and affordable accommodation in Middle Andaman, Admiral DK Joshi, PVSM,AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.) Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor, A & N Islands and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency has cleared the proposal for construction of a Working Women’s Hostel at Mithila Village at Rangat. Land for this project has been set apart by the District Administration and the 1st installment of Rs.432.67 lakh has been received from Ministry of Minority Affairs, Govt. of India under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK).

To be built at a total cost of Rs. Rs.865 lakh, the Working Women’s Hostel will have total capacity to accommodate 85 working women. The Hostel would consist of 25 double occupancy rooms with attached washroom and kitchen, a 35 bedded dormitory, an office-cum-reception room, kitchen with dining hall, re-creation hall, day care room, common wash rooms, parking area, quarters for warden and care taker and security arrangements.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) is a scheme of Ministry of Minority Affairs for creation of infrastructure facilities in sectors of Health, Education, Skill Development, Employment and such other projects for improving the socio-economic condition of minority communities living in the Minority Concentration Blocks (MCB). The Ministry of Minority Affairs has identified the tehsils of Mayabunder, Rangat, Ferrargunj, Car Nicobar and Nancowry as Minority Concentration Blocks in this UT.

A State level Committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary, A & N Administration to recommend the projects to be sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK). Considering the demand and utility of projects, the State Level Committee had recommended and forwarded different projects to Ministry of Minority Affairs for approval and release of fund. The other projects sanctioned under this scheme are expansion of Working Women’s Hostel at Car Nicobar at an estimated cost of Rs.265 lakh, construction of 46 Anganwadi Centres in the Minority Concentration Blocks at an estimated cost of Rs.1137 lakh and a Sadbhavana Mandap with Common Service Centre at Wimberlygunj at an estimated cost of Rs.140 lakh. A total amount of Rs.1132.06 lakh as first installment has been released to APWD for undertaking the construction of these socially useful projects, which upon their completion will give a boost to the development of children, empowerment of women and the cultural harmony of these Islands.