Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned the need for a draft "Comprehensive Tribal Welfare Plan" on Saturday, raising doubts on the government's claims that the Great Nicobar infrastructure project would not displace any local tribes. Citing a report, he said the Andaman and Nicobar administration has prepared a draft plan to "relocate" Nicobarese families affected by the project. ADVERTISEMENT"The bulldozer moves on unmindful of the concerns of the local communities," he said on X. "But there is a fundamental contradiction here: the Modi Government claims that the Great Nicobar Infra project will not disturb or displace tribes -- then why a relocation plan? The report claims that a draft plan outlining the "relocation" of Nicobarese tribal communities affected by the Union government's Great Nicobar Island (GNI) mega-infrastructure project "to their ancestral lands" has created confusion and is exacerbating existing apprehensions among locals.

Source: The Telegraph April 04, 2026 10:16 UTC