New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Karnataka and Kerala on 1-2 September. At 6 PM on 1st September, Prime Minister will visit Sri Adi Shankara Janma Bhoomi Kshetram, the holy birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya, at Kalady village near Cochin Airport. At 9:30 AM on 2nd September, Prime Minister will commission the first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi. Thereafter at 1:30 PM, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 3800 crores in Mangaluru.

PM Modi in Kochi

Prime Minister has been a strong proponent of Aatmanirbharta, especially in strategic sectors. In what will mark a significant step towards self-reliance in the defence sector, Prime Minister will commission the first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. Designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Vikrant has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built in the maritime history of India.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is named after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first Aircraft Carrier which had played a vital role in the 1971 war. It has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country as well as over 100 MSMEs. With the commissioning of Vikrant, India will have two operational Aircraft Carriers, which will bolster the maritime security of the nation. During the event, the Prime Minister will also unveil the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage.

PM to lay the foundation stone of projects worth Rs 3,800 crore in Mangaluru

Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of mechanization and industrialization projects worth around Rs 3800 crores in Mangaluru.

Prime Minister will inaugurate the project worth over Rs 280 crore for mechanization of Berth No. 14 for handling containers and other cargo, undertaken by the New Mangalore Port Authority. The mechanized terminal will increase efficiency and reduce the turnaround time, pre-berthing delay, and dwell time in the Port by around 35%, thus giving a boost to the business environment. Phase I of the project has been successfully completed, thereby adding over 4.2 MTPA to the handling capacity, which would further increase to over 6 MTPA by 2025.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate two projects undertaken by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited viz BS VI Upgradation Project and Sea Water Desalination Plant. The BS VI Upgradation Project, worth around Rs 1830 crores, will facilitate the production of ultra-pure environment-friendly BS-VI grade fuel (with sulphur content less than 10 PPM). The Sea Water Desalination Plant, set up at a cost of around Rs. 680 crores, will help reduce dependency on fresh water and ensure a regular supply of hydrocarbons and petrochemicals throughout the year. Having a capacity of 30 Million Litres per Day (MLD), the Plant converts seawater into water required for the refinery processes.

Key Points

• The air wing of the ship would consist of 30 aircraft comprising MiG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, in addition to indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
• The INS Vikrant has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 people, including specialized cabins to accommodate women officers.
• Vikrant has a top speed of around 28 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots with an endurance of about 7,500 nautical miles.
• The warship is 262 meters long, and 62 meters wide and it has a height of 59 meters. Its construction began in 2009.

References:

newsroompost.com