Funds crunch halts development work in tsunami-hit islands

Port Blair, Oct 13 (UNI) Funds crunch has hamstrung the development work in tsunamai-hit Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Zilla Parishad Chairman of Andaman and Nicobar islands has written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting release of the approved Central funds.

After the devastating tsunami in December 2004, the territory's Zilla Parishad had spent Rs 54 crore for rebuilding the ravaged islands after the Centre's approval.

About Rs 20 crores had been released in the first phase which was insufficient to undertake the schemes, said the Zilla Parishad chairman.

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