The 70,000-odd residents of Lakshadweep archipelago will finally be able to enjoy the benefits of a robust Internet service helping the young and old in the island connect with the rest of the world. In a transformative move, the Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Connection (KLI – SOFC) project, which has just been completed and is being inaugurated by the Prime Minister during his two-day visit to the islands between January 2-3, 2024, is expected to lead to an increase in internet speed of more than 100 times (from 1.7 Gbps to 200 Gbps).
Lakshadweep will be connected through Submarine Optic Fibre Cable and this dedicated submarine OFC will ensure a paradigm shift in communication infrastructure in the Lakshadweep islands.
For the first time, Lakshadweep will be connected through Submarine Optic Fibre Cable and this dedicated submarine OFC will ensure a paradigm shift in communication infrastructure in the Lakshadweep islands, enabling faster and more reliable internet services, telemedicine, e-governance, educational initiatives, digital banking, digital currency usage, digital literacy etc in one of the most remote parts of the country. The project had been announced during the I-Day speech in August 2020.
The Prime Minister also noted the immense possibilities that Lakshadweep offers and pointed out the long neglect that Lakshadweep faced since Independence. He mentioned weak port infrastructure despite shipping being the lifeline of the area. “This applies to education, health and even petrol and diesel,” PM Modi said. “The present government has taken up the task of its development in the right earnest and all these challenges are being removed by our government.”
Modi also informed that many development projects were completed in Agatti during the last 10 years and mentioned creating modern facilities, especially for the fishermen. He also touched upon the fact that now Agatti has an airport as well as an ice plant. Due to this, new possibilities are being created for the sector related to seafood export and seafood processing. He mentioned the initiation of export of tuna fish from Lakshadweep which has also paved the way for increasing the income of the fishermen of Lakshadweep.
“The Prime Minister will dedicate to the Nation the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kadmat. This will produce 1.5 lakh litres of clean drinking water every day.”
During his visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of development projects worth more than Rs 1150 crore. The Prime Minister will dedicate to the Nation the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kadmat. This will produce 1.5 lakh litres of clean drinking water every day. The Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation the Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) in all households of Agatti and Minicoy islands. The availability of potable water was always a challenge in the islands of Lakshadweep as being a coral island, it has very limited ground water availability. These drinking projects will also help in strengthening the tourism capacity of the islands, leading to increased local employment opportunities.
Other projects include the solar power plant at Kavaratti, which is the first-ever battery-backed solar power project of Lakshadweep. It will help to reduce dependency on Diesel-based Power Generation plant, and the new administrative block and 80 Men barrack in the India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) Complex at Kavaratti.
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the renovation of the Primary Health Care facility in Kalpeni and the construction of five model Anganwadi Centres (Nand Ghars) in the five islands of Androth, Chetlat, Kadmat, Agatti and Minicoy.
Other projects include the solar power plant at Kavaratti, which is the first-ever battery-backed solar power project of Lakshadweep. It will help to reduce dependency on Diesel-based Power Generation plant, and the new administrative block and 80 Men barrack in the India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) Complex at Kavaratti.
As of now, residents of Lakshadweep need to be airlifted to Kochi during health emergencies due to lack of adequate healthcare facilities in the archipelago. The islands also depend on diesel-powered plants for electricity currently and any cancellation of ship service during inclement weather would mean the islanders, especially in the remote ones, will remain without electricity. The pristine islands have been neglected by successive governments since Independence and have been deprived of most modern amenities enjoyed by the rest of India including quality healthcare, education and easy access to the mainland.