MPT Chairman I Jayakumar addressing a gathering to mark the 53rd National Maritime Day celebrations at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, on Tuesday. President of the Institute of Marine Engineers, Dilip Mehrotra, Convenor of the function Bodhraj and former Deputy Conservator of MPT, Capt VS Gopinath are also seen. Santosh Mirajker
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MPT chairman offers land at MPT for Seafarers Club
Says office bearers would get back with proposal
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Marking the 53rd National Maritime Day celebrations at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao on Tuesday, MPT chairman I Jayakumar announced his readiness “in principle” to allot land in the MPT premises for a Seafarers Club.
During his address on this occasion, Jayakumar said during his recent informal chat with office bearers of the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) which functions under the Director General (Shipping), he floated this idea.
Explaining the broad contours of this concept, Jayakumar told The Goan later on the sidelines of this function, that the MPT is ready to spare some land admeasuring around 6,000 to 7,000 sqmts for the Seafarers Club in the MPT premises. “They (the office bearers) said they will get back within a month's time with a proposal,” Jayakumar remarked.
He said the proposed Seafarers Club can have facilities such as stay-in-accomodation, dining hall, gymnasium, etc. This, Jayakumar said, is in view of the fact that the seafarers don't have a club to avail of such facilities soon after landing on Goan shores. Jayakumar claimed the Seafarers Club could be shared by both - the MPT and the seafarers.
Earlier in his address on the theme, 'Ease of doing business in Maritime sector,' the MPT chairman said everybody has to put in efforts to usher in a conducive environment for business activity in the country, particularly in the marine sector, so as to enable India to develop into an economic superpower in the world. He said much needs to be done in this aspect at the ground level where there are many “impediments."
"The shipping sector is down in the present market conditions. However, there will be growth and employment in the maritime sector as 90 per cent of the volume of trade goes through ports,” Jayakumar told the audience.
Drawing the attention of the public to the three concepts - Make In India, Digtial India and Ease of Doing Business - in the public domain as of now, Jayakumar said, “Make in India concept will be facilitated by the remaining two concepts.”
Robert Pedro Vales of the shipyard located at Zorint-Sancoale and the director (Planning and Development), MES Society, Lalita Joshi were felicitated on this occasion for their services in the maritime sector.
Those who addressed the gathering included Bodhraj who delivered the welcome address, and the president of the Institute of Marine Engineers, Dilip Mehrotra who proposed the vote of thanks. The former deputy conservator of MPT, Capt VS Gopinath was also present at the function.
