Andaman gets independent information department

Port Blair, Jun 24: The Andaman and Nicobar administration has bifurcated its Directorate of Information Publicity and Tourism department into two separate divisions - Tourism and Information&Publicity, official sources said.

This was a long pending demand of mediapersons and a few other sections of these remote islands. Due to shortage of manpower and resources, these two departments were clubbed together since beginning.

"This is a welcome step," Mr K. Ganeshan, vice-president of Press Club of Port Blair told sources here today.

Mr Kuldeep Singh Gangar, Director (IP&T), will be holding the charges of Tourism division and will deal with the implementation of the policy and programme, formulated by the A&N administration for the development and promotion of tourism in the islands.

Mr V K Mishra had been designated as Officer in-charge of Information and Publicity division, which would exclusively deal with the subject relating to Information&Publicity, sources confirmed.

"This should have been done long before. This decision would not only help tourism to grow but also help local media," he added.

UNI