The Government has made sustained efforts to ensure the economic development of Union Territories (UTs) through a series of focused interventions, including development of world-class infrastructure, enhancement of road, sea and air connectivity, augmentation of digital connectivity, promotion of tourism, strengthening of education, healthcare, industrial development, improving urban services, bringing in governance reforms, ease of doing business, and livelihood generation, etc. The details are given at Annexure-I.

The Government has taken various measures to promote renewable and green energy in the UTs through effective implementation of schemes, PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, PM-KUSUM, etc., development of utility-scale solar projects, augmentation of rooftop solar installations, promotion of household solar adoption; and other interventions.  The details of measures taken in this regard, and the benefits arising out of those are given at Annexure-II.

Annexure-I

(i) Landmark MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) infrastructure projects like the Yasho Bhoomi Convention Centre and Bharat Mandapam in Delhi have been completed.

(ii) Strategic infrastructure projects in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), like the Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, Z-Morh Tunnel, and the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link including the iconic Chenab Rail Bridge have been completed.

(iii) Road infrastructure has been augmented, such as the development of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) and the Dwarka Expressway in Delhi, the Delhi-Dehradun and Delhi-Meerut Expressways; and construction of new motorable bridges in Ladakh, etc., which have significantly improved regional connectivity.

(iv) Construction of helipads and hangars has been completed in Ladakh to ensure connectivity to difficult terrains and for medical emergencies, even during the winter months. Air connectivity in Lakshadweep has improved with daily scheduled flights and successful trial seaplane landings. New airport terminals have been constructed at Sri Vijaya Puram in Andaman & Nicobar Islands (A&NI) and at NAMO airport, Daman.   

(v) Digital connectivity has expanded significantly in UTs, especially in island UTs of Andaman & Nicobar Islands (A&NI) and Lakshadweep. The Chennai Andaman Nicobar Islands (CANI) Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) project in the UT of A&NI and the Kochi Lakshadweep Island (KLI) Submarine OFC Project have revolutionised the digital connectivity between the islands and the mainland, enabling online education, tele-medicine,  e-governance, digital  banking  and  e-commerce.  These

initiatives have led to  reduced data costs, increased mobile and internet/broadband

penetration, and enhanced internet tele-density and speeds across the island UTs. In A&NI bandwidth has increased from 4.12 Gbps to 243 Gbps and in Lakshadweep from 1.7 Gbps to 200 Gbps.

(vi) Tourism has been identified as a key sector due to its multiplier effect on economic growth and livelihood opportunities, leading to improved standards and quality of living. The Government is actively working towards transforming UTs into global hubs of tourism. Schemes such as the Swadesh Darshan and PRASHAD have been effectively leveraged to develop tourism infrastructure in UTs. Letter of award has been issued for development of 04 eco-tourism projects in A&NI. 50 tents at Bangaram and 100 tents at Thinnakara have commenced operation in Lakshadweep; and world class seafronts and premier river fronts, and tent cities have been developed in DNH&DD.

(vii) UTs have identified various niche activities, suited to their unique geography and potential, and have taken active steps to promote various kinds of traditional and experimental forms of tourism, such as winter tourism in J&K, astro tourism in Ladakh (the first-ever dark sky reserve in the country has been set up in Hanle), cruise tourism in Lakshadweep, spiritual tourism in Puducherry, eco-tourism in island UTs of A&NI and Lakshadweep, development of tourist circuits in Chandigarh, etc. All this has led to increase in tourist footfall in the UTs.

(viii) UTs have also notified their respective homestay policies to promote community-based tourism and generate local livelihoods. Moreover, local art and traditional crafts  are  also  being  promoted  in  UTs. While  5  of  the  12  Blue  Flag Certified Beaches in India are located in UTs, infrastructure facilities for blue flag certification of more beaches are being developed.

(ix) The healthcare sector has also received sufficient boost. The AIIMS, Jammu has been operationalised. Telemedicine services are now available in all inhabited islands of Lakshadweep. Healthcare facilities of NAMO Medical Education and Research Institute in Silvassa, 450-bedded NAMO Hospital in Silvassa and the 345 bedded Namo Hospital in Daman have been augmented significantly.

(x)       UTs are undertaking solar and hydro power projects to achieve power self-sufficiency with cleaner, cheaper sources of power.

(xi)      Measures have also been taken towards industrial development in UTs. To promote manufacturing and services in J&K, the New Central Sector Scheme for Industrial Development has been launched with an outlay of Rs 28,400 crore. Comprehensive investment incentives and single-window clearance mechanisms have been put in place, which has improved the investment climate in UTs. Policies pertaining to industries, land allotment, start-ups, logistics, promotion of MSMEs, etc., have been implemented by UTs, which are aimed at promoting businesses and entrepreneurship through suitable incentives, subsidies and other interventions. These measures have resulted in a big push to businesses and promoting UTs as drivers of economic growth and prosperity (AatmanNirbhar Arthavyavastha).

(xii)     Apart from the above, various measures have been taken to promote ease of doing business in UTs. Procedures for the issuance of licenses and other business-related approvals have been simplified and streamlined. Online service delivery, digital processing,  and clearances  are being  promoted  to improve efficiency and transparency, in line with the Government’s Zero Tolerance policy towards Corruption. Financial incentives have been provided under various schemes to promote entrepreneurship, MSMEs, fisheries, tourism and other livelihood activities. Digital infrastructure and e-governance is being further strengthened to facilitate service delivery. UTs have also identified certain priority economic sectors for accelerated economic growth based on their unique strengths and resources, such as developing a Blue economy, transforming into regional knowledge/IT/medical hubs, etc. 

(xiii)    As part of the broader legislative and regulatory initiatives undertaken for the UTs during the last five years, 21 measures specifically relevant to facilitating economic development were processed, comprising 19 Regulations, Bills or extensions of laws and two delegations of statutory powers. These comprise of laws related to taxation, labour regulation, stamp duty and registration, agricultural marketing, mineral development, fisheries, excise, public-service delivery and business facilitation. These measures have strengthened the enabling environment for economic development in UTs by rationalising tax and regulatory frameworks, reducing procedural delays and minor criminal compliances, ensuring time-bound delivery of business-related services, facilitating trade and property transactions, and modernising labour and sector-specific regulation. Collectively, they reduce compliance costs, improve regulatory certainty, encourage investment and enterprise, support employment generation and enable more efficient utilisation of local economic resources. Moreover, a two-pronged approach of deregulation and decriminalisation of provisions has also been adopted for promoting ease of doing business in UTs.

(xiv)    Employment generation and skill development continue to remain a priority sector for the Government. Schemes such as the PM Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Startup India, PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana, PM Vishwakarma, PM SVANidhi, PM MUDRA Yojana, etc., are being effectively implemented in the UTs to ensure livelihood opportunities for the youth.

ANNEXURE-II

(i)        UTs are providing subsidies in addition to the central subsidy for the installation of rooftop solar plants in residential and government buildings under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Grid-connected Rooftop Solar Plants are being promoted and installed in the UTs. Waste-to-energy initiatives have also been undertaken by UTs to promote clean and green energy.

(ii)       E-mobility is being promoted for clean and sustainable public transport in UTs. For example, electric buses have been sanctioned under various initiatives, like FAME, PM e-Drive, etc.

(iii)     UTs have notified policies regarding Electric Vehicles, renewable/solar energy, etc., such as the Renewable Energy Policy, 2024 of the UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (DNH&DD), the Delhi Solar Energy Policy, 2023. Incentives have been provided within these policies and under government schemes for solar power generation. 

(iv)      Installed solar capacity has been augmented in UTs, with a special focus on solarising Government buildings. For example, Chandigarh and DNH&DD have achieved 100% rooftop solar coverage of all feasible Government residential and office buildings. UTs have also taken various other initiatives in this regard, like distribution of smokeless biomass cookstoves amongst the tribal populace in J&K.

(v)       The abovementioned energy initiatives have resulted in various benefits to the people in UTs, like, increased availability of clean and reliable electricity; reduction in electricity expenditure for households and public institutions through adoption of rooftop solar power systems; reduction in dependence on conventional fossil fuels and improvement in energy security; generation of local employment opportunities in installation, operation and maintenance of renewable energy systems, etc. All these have led to an improved quality of life through enhanced access to electricity for households, schools, healthcare institutions and community facilities, while generating direct and indirect employment.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

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