Resettlement Census to Begin for Great Nicobar Island Mega-Infrastructure Project
Authorities have issued a notice directing all families affected by the trunk infrastructure component of the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project to prepare approximately 24 categories of
What happened
Authorities have issued a notice directing all families affected by the trunk infrastructure component of the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project to prepare approximately 24 categories of documents for an upcoming resettlement census. The Great Nicobar project, spearheaded by ANDA (Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation), envisions a transshipment port, an international airport, a township, and a power plant on the southernmost island of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The project has been at the centre of intense debate due to its potential impact on the Shompen tribe — a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) — as well as on ecologically sensitive rainforests, coral reefs, and nesting beaches of leatherback sea turtles. The resettlement census marks a critical procedural step, signalling that land acquisition and displacement of settled communities is now moving from planning to implementation. For UPSC aspirants, this development intersects themes of infrastructure-led development, tribal rights under the Forest Rights Act and PESA, environmental clearance processes, and the tension between strategic national interests and ecological conservation.
The Great Nicobar Island project is a ₹72,000 crore mega-infrastructure initiative approved by the Union Cabinet, to be implemented by ANDA (Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
●The project includes a deep-water transshipment port, a greenfield international airport, a township, and a 450 MW gas/solar power plant.
●Great Nicobar is strategically located near the Malacca Strait — one of the world's busiest shipping lanes — and close to the Strait of Sunda.
●The island hosts the Shompen, a PVTG with a population of around 400, and is covered by the Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Campbell Bay National Park.
●The National Green Tribunal and environmental groups have raised concerns about the project's impact on leatherback sea turtle nesting sites, coral ecosystems, and tropical rainforests.
●The resettlement census is a prerequisite for land acquisition under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
The resettlement census operationalises the displacement phase of the Great Nicobar project, making the tension between strategic infrastructure and tribal/ecological rights a live constitutional and policy question.
◎ In Simple Words
The government is planning to build a huge port, airport, and township on Great Nicobar Island — imagine building an entire new city on a remote island near the tip of India. Before construction can begin, officials need to count and document all the families who currently live there so they can be moved to new homes, just like how you'd need to move furniture before renovating a room. This counting process is called a resettlement census, and families have been asked to keep about 24 types of documents ready. The project is controversial because the island is home to a rare tribal group called the Shompen and many endangered animals, so people are worried about what will happen to them.
Factual Pointers
Practice · 1 question
With reference to the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is being implemented by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANDA).
2. The Shompen tribe is classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
3. Great Nicobar Island is located north of the Andaman Islands.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
Essay Questions