New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) The government Friday said it was aware of the strategic importance of its island territories and was enhancing security there.


"The government is aware of strategic importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, and has been taking steps to enhance security in the two union territories," Home Minister P. Chidambaram informed a parliamentary consultative committee here.

The committee was meeting to discuss the administration of union territories.

The home minister said that in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a unified command of the Army, Navy and Air Force was already in place and additional police forces were sanctioned for both the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

Seeking to dispel the notion that there was no representative democracy in the union territories, which have no assemblies, Chidambaram pointed out that panchayat bodies existed in all union territories.

He said that connectivity was a major issue in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, and the government was addressing the issue.

The home minister said Chandigarh was preparing a masterplan for 2031, aimed at sustainable development of the union territory while retaining its essential character.

Earlier, members highlighted issues like increasing population of Chandigarh, over-industrialisation of Daman and Diu, potential of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as an international tourist destination, more assistance to those affected by the tsunami there, and need for better connectivity in some union territories.

Ashok Sekhar Ganguly, H.K. Dua and Mohammed Ali Khan from the Rajya Sabha, Thokchom Meinya from the Lok Sabha, and Minister of State for Home Mullapally Ramachandran were among those who attended the meeting.