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In a bid to boost the country’s maritime strength, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects worth ₹4,000 crore in Kochi, Kerala on Wednesday. These projects included 310-metre-long New Dry Dock (NDD) at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) of CSL and LPG Import Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited at Puthuvypeen.
“These major infrastructure projects are in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to transform India’s ports, shipping, and waterways sector, and build capacity and self-sufficiency in it,” a press release by the Prime Minister’s Office said.
Speaking at the event, PM Modi said, “Today, when India is becoming a major center of global trade, we are focusing on increasing the country’s maritime strength”. He said these projects would help speed up development of the southern region of the country.
He also said that many reforms have been carried out in the last 10 years to enhance ‘Ease of Doing Business’ in the sectors of ports, shipping and inland waterways. the Prime Minister said that his government was working to make India a major maritime power.
“To achieve that goal, the central government was working to improve infrastructure, capacity, efficiency and connectivity at port cities like Kochi through initiatives like Sagarmala Pariyojana,” the PM said. “The projects inaugurated today will speed up progress and development of the southern region of the country,” he added.
He further asserted that with the Ship Repair Facility being set up, Kochi will become India’s “major ship repairing centre”. This will, in turn, make India a big ship repairing centre in Asia, he said.
“We are making efforts to increase the capacity of ports, to build and strengthen port infrastructure and to increase connectivity of ports through initiatives like the Sagarmala Pariyojana,” the Prime Minister was quoted by ANI as saying.
The PM further said that the interventions and reforms by his government has brought in huge investments in the ports and also generated more employment.
“In the past, India thrived with significant global GDP contributions, powered by strong ports and port cities,” PM Modi said. He “recalled the role of ports in India’s erstwhile prosperity in earlier times and envisaged a similar role for ports now when India is taking new strides and becoming a major center of global trade”, the press release said.
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The Prime Minister said that today, as India reclaims its position in global trade, “we’re actively fortifying our maritime capabilities”. He also highlighted that earlier ships used to queue up in ports for days on end to offload cargo, but now India has surpassed many developed nations in the ship turnaround time, PTI reported.
PM Modi further said that in the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal’, each state plays a vital role in India’s journey toward development. “Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision presents a roadmap to reinforce India’s maritime prowess for Viksit Bharat,” the press release quoted PM Modi as saying. “When everyone works together, the results are much better,” he said.
The programme which was attended by Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan.
The Central government anticipates that with the dedication of these projects, Cochin Shipyard Limited is poised to double its turnover within the next four years to ₹7,000 crore.
About three projects and their importance for India
1.The New Dry Dock is built at a cost of about ₹1,800 crore at the existing premises of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi. This one-of-a-kind 310-meter-long stepped dry dock, with a width of 75/60 meters, depth of 13 meters and a draught of up to 9.5 metres, is one of the largest marine infrastructures in the region. PM Modi said the new dry dock is the India’s national pride.
How will it help India: “It is a flagship project reflecting New India’s engineering prowess,” the press release said. It added, “The New Dry Dock project features heavy ground loading which will position India with advanced capabilities to handle strategic assets like future aircraft carriers up to 70,000T displacement as well as large commercial vessels, thus eliminating India’s dependency on foreign nations for emergency national requirements.”
2. The International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) project is built at a cost of about ₹970 crore. It has a ship lift system with a capacity of 6000T, a transfer system, six workstations and a berth of approximately 1,400 metres which can accommodate 7 vessels of 130-metre length simultaneously.
How will it help India: The Prime Minister said that it will transform Kochi into India and Asia’s largest ship repair center. He expressed confidence in the creation of a new ecosystem of MSMEs with the inauguration of such huge shipbuilding and repair facilities. “The ISRF will modernise and expand the existing ship repair capabilities of CSL and will be a step towards transforming Kochi into a global ship repair hub,” the press release said.
3. The Indian Oil’s LPG Import Terminal at Puthuvypeen in Kochi is built at the cost of about ₹1,236 crore. With a 15400 MT storage capacity, the terminal will ensure a steady supply of LPG for millions of households and businesses in the region.
How will it help India: PM Modi said the new LPG Import Terminal will meet the LPG needs of Kochi, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Calicut, Madurai, and Trichy while also supporting industries, other economic development activities and creation of new jobs in these areas. “This project will further strengthen India’s efforts towards ensuring accessible and affordable energy for all,” the press release said.
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Published: 17 Jan 2024, 03:47 PM IST
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