KOCHI: Union Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) Mansukh L Mandaviya on Friday inaugurated buggy cars which will be used to assist tourists arriving on cruise vessels at Samudrika, the cruise passenger facilitation centre of Cochin Port Trust (CPT) at Willingdon Island.
After holding a meeting with CPT officials at the port’s head office, Mansukh headed to Kendriya Vidyalaya, Port Trust, in the afternoon where he inaugurated the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva’ cleanliness campaign.
“For governments that ruled the country before the present BJP government, development meant only introducing roads and infrastructure. For this government, it means providing ease of living to every citizen. Our perspective of development is that in addition to infrastructure development activities, each person in the country should have good health, education and employment opportunity. This government has set goals to create opportunities for the country’s future generation,” Mansukh said. He was accompanied by CPT Chairperson M Beena.
At the function, Mansukh distributed awards among school students. He planted a sapling on the school compound and later, accompanied by members of a cycling club, students and CISF personnel, rode a bicycle for one km. In the morning, Mansukh travelled on a tugboat and reviewed the installations of CPT at Vembanad lake. He left for New Delhi from the Nedumbassery airport in the evening.
On Thursday, the minister had visited the Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) premises and spoke to officials about the ongoing Indigenous Aircraft Carrier project. He also reviewed the projects taken up by CSL.
Minister evades question on theft
Union Minister of State for Shipping (Independent charge) Mansukh L Mandaviya on Friday evaded a question over the theft of digital devices from the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) at CSL. “This is not a day to comment on the matter. I have nothing to say,” he said when Express sought his comments on the theft.