Port Blair and another seven islands in Andaman and Nicobar would get digitally connected through submarine optical fibre cable by June this year, officials said on Monday (13 January).

The target is part of "Holistic development of islands" programme of Island Development Agency (IDA) aimed to strengthen infrastructure support, projects for improving air, sea and digital connectivity.

Better communication services would facilitate setting up of information technology based and other Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the islands with incentives through Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Industrial Development Scheme (LANIDS), 2018 notified on 1 January 2019, said the officials.

"The proposed airports in Great Nicobar Island of Andaman and Nicobar and Minicoy Island of Lakshadweep would catalyze the development process in the region." The plan was explained to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who chaired the sixth IDA meeting on Monday.

In the meeting, a detailed presentation was made by CEO NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant highlighting current status of the planned projects being implemented for islanders' benefits. The status of implementation of decisions taken in the last meeting was also highlighted in the presentation.

Shah expressed satisfaction at the progress made and called upon all concerned to expedite implementation of the ongoing projects for islanders' benefits.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)