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Settlement in Andaman  Islands

Penal Settlement

The British Government allotted house sites and the agricultural lands to the convicts under the provisions of Section 5 of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Regulation 1926. The allotment of Agriculture land was made to any person to any land either by way of  "Grant" or by issuing licenses on conditions laid down therein. The Grant for the cultivation of long lived crops such as coconut, coffee, rubber and the like for a period of thirty years and renewed for further period on the previous sanction of the Central Government. License for Agricultural Land as a Non-occupancy tenant was issued to any person for paddy cultivation, horticulture and short lived crops.  These Non-occupancy tenants thereafter brought under Occupancy Tenants, after  cultivating five years continuously and had not contravened any provisions laid down in the license while allotment was made.

Colonisation and Rehabilitation

After Independence the problem that faced by the government was the need for building up population for utilisation of the available land for agricultural purposes and for providing labour for the exploiting of the valuable forest. Displaced persons including agriculturist  from East Pakistan were readily available for settlement and the idea of colonisation of the islands was emerged. Between the period from 1949 to 1952, 450 refugee families from East Pakistan were settled on the readily available and (about 3000 acres in South Andaman) abandoned by the departing ex-convicts.

During  1953, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration issued proclamation which was published  in the leading Newspapers of Mainland who are willing to settle in Andaman under colonisation scheme. Accordingly, agriculture families from different states were brought to these islands  and allotted land for cultivation.

The families on their arrivals were kept in  barracks and allotted the promised land and handed over its physical possession. they were financially assisted for construction of their houses, purchasing of plough animals, seeds and manure and also  some  other substantial allowances till their cultivation yielded results. Besides, they were also allowed to extract 12 tons of Timber free of Royalty for construction of their residential houses in the first stage and 5 ton for repair work after five years in the second  stage.

Utilisation of Land in Andaman District