Car Nicobar (Andaman and Nicobar Islands): Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee arrived here on the last leg of his three-day visit to islands of Andaman and Nicobar and said he would like to settle down in this picturesque coconut tree covered land, the last district headquarter of India's territory.

"I feel like settling down here in between the coconut trees but I have to go back. I have to discharge responsibilities at Delhi," he said at a public meeting.

Immediately after his arrival, Vajpayee paid floral tributes to Bishop John Richardson by laying wreath at his memorial. He also paid floral tribute to those islanders who were killed by Japanese during their occupation of the island after 1942.

Bishop John, a Padma Shree and Padma Vibhushan awardee, was the first bishop to have come here and translated Bible in the local Nicobari language for the tribal- dominated Nicobar group of islands.

Making a slew of announcements for the development of the Island, including a concessional helicopter service for inter-connecting the islands, Vajpayee said he had brought goodwill message for the islanders.

Vajpayee said the need of the hour was to strengthen the nation and keep it united.

Exhorting females to take more active part in politics and participate in elections, he remembered former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi saying she had served the nation for years together.

One Indian woman was today in the space orbiting us, he said.

He said the government hospital at Car Nicobar would be named after John Richardson whom he described as a "selfless missionary dedicated to the upliftment of mankind".

The Prime Minister later met tribal leaders and discussed development plans for the area with them.

Over 40 years ago, a tribal leader Edward Kutchard had donated 200 acres of land to the government when the then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru visited the island.

In lieu of this, he had taken the coat Nehru was wearing.

The piece of land now serves as an Air Force base.

PTI