The Mini India

TMI Bureau Port Blair, July 09: Over the past decade, the Government of India, through the Digital India initiative, has largely succeeded in transforming most systems into digital ventures, such as eProcurement, GeM, and other online platforms, even within administrative and general communication systems, increasingly relying on social media platforms. However, amid this digital shift, the general public remains largely unaware of the ongoing developmental works around them. Departments across various sectors now invite bids for supply, construction, and maintenance solely through platforms like eProcurement, GeM, and similar portals, without publishing notifications in newspapers or any other public domain. As a result, only the bidders and concerned department officials are informed about what is being procured, when it is happening, and who is executing the work. In many municipal wards and panchayats, people are left clueless about where to report issues, whom to contact, or...

New Delhi: Tribal communities in Great Nicobar are not opposed to development but lack sufficient information about a proposed mega infrastructure project on the island, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) member Asha Lakra has said. The project, titled Holistic Development of Great Nicobar, involves the construction of a transshipment port, an international airport, a township and a power plant over more than 160 sq. km of land. This includes around 130 sq. km of pristine forest inhabited by the Nicobarese, a Scheduled Tribe (ST), and the Shompens, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), whose population is estimated to be between 200 and 300. In an interview with PTI, Ms. Lakra said she led an NCST team to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from June 5 to 7 to review the issues faced by the tribal communities. She said the Commission held a detailed meeting with representatives of all tribal groups, including the Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Nicobarese and Shompens...