Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome in Kavaratti, Lakshadweep, as he arrived to inaugurate and lay the foundation for numerous development projects.

About Kavaratti Island

• Kavaratti, the capital of Lakshadweep, the smallest Union Territory in India, stands as its most developed island.
• Positioned in the heart of the Lakshadweep archipelago, it is situated between Agatti Island to the west and Andrott Island to the east, approximately 360 km off the coast of the State of Kerala.
• Covering an area of 4.22 sq km, the island boasts a maximum length of 5.8 km and a width of 1.6 km.
• Elevated 2 to 5 meters above mean sea level on the western side and 2 to 3 meters on the eastern side, Kavaratti features a shallow lagoon on its western flank, while coconut palms flourish on the northern side.
• The island encompasses 12 atolls, five submerged banks, and three coral reefs. Notably, Kavaratti surprises with a small inland lake at its northern tip.
• Kavaratti town is renowned for the intricately carved wooden pillars and roofs of its mosques, along with the carved stones adorning its graveyards.
• With a significant percentage of non-islanders as residents, the spoken languages are Malayalam and Mahl.
• Moreover, Kavaratti has been chosen as one of the hundred Indian cities earmarked for development as a smart city under the flagship Smart Cities Mission.

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