Car Nicobar, Aug. 10: The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, undertook a two-day official visit to Car Nicobar on Aug. 8 and 9 accompanied by a high-level team of senior Officers. The visit aimed to review the implementation of key Government schemes and address developmental priorities across health, education, power, agriculture, transportation, water supply, sports, and social welfare sectors, with a special focus on the welfare of the tribal community in Nicobar District.
The delegation included Ms. Purva Garg, IAS, Secretary (APWD & Shipping), Smt. Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, Secretary (Agriculture & AH&VS), Smt. Jyoti Kumari, IAS, Secretary (Fisheries & IP&T), Ms. Richa, Secretary (Health), Shri Pravesh Ranjan Jha, Secretary (CS&CA) & Director (Power), Shri Vikram Singh, Director (Education & Sports), and Shri Prijit Rekh, Chief Engineer (APWD).
8th August, 2025 – The Chief Secretary commenced his visit by paying homage at the Tsunami Memorial, Lapathy, followed by inspection of the Mus Jetty area to review sea erosion issues. He then visited GSS Tamaloo School, where he interacted with school children and encouraged them to pursue their education with dedication. Meanwhile, accompanying officers inspected departmental sites, including BJR Hospital, agricultural plantations at Arong, the Electricity Power House, various schools, and the Veterinary Farm at Arong. A meeting was held with the Tribal Council and Village Council representatives, where issues concerning the community were discussed. The Chief Secretary directed the concerned Departments to take prompt action for their resolution. This was followed by a meeting with local Heads of Departments (HoDs), during which he urged them to work for the welfare of the residents and extend all necessary support. The day concluded with a visit to the District Library at Perka.
9th August, 2025 – The second day began with a morning visit to the SAI Stadium, where the Chief Secretary interacted with young athletes and reviewed the status of various training programmes. He then visited the farm of Shri Patrick at Tapoiming, where he planted and distributed spice saplings to farmers. He also visited the Tapoiming Anganwadi and interacted with children. He further inaugurated the mass livestock distribution programme at the Community Hall, Tapoiming, where, he handed over chicks, goats, and piglets to farmers, promoting integrated farming practices, highlighting its potential for improving nutrition, income, and sustainability. He encouraged tribal captains and local farmers to adopt spice cultivation as part of integrated farming. The Chief Secretary emphasised the importance of community participation in progressive and organic farming, encouraging locals to diversify into vegetables, spices, poultry, goat, and pig farming for sustainable livelihoods.
The Deputy Commissioner, Nicobars, on behalf of the District Administration, reaffirmed a firm commitment to address the issues raised during the visit in close coordination with the respective Departments, ensuring that development initiatives in Car Nicobar continue to move forward with speed and efficiency.