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Gadkari ‘attacks’ Indian Navy for obtructing Mumbai development (Lead)

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Mumbai, Jan 11 (IANS) Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday “attacked” the Indian Navy for creating obstacles in “development projects in Mumbai”, including opposing the plans for a floating jetty at Nariman Point.

Recently, the Bombay High Court declined permission to a private operator for building a jetty to launch seaplane services and a floatel since it did not get the green signal of the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command, ostensibly for security reasons.

“Actually, what does the navy have to do with Malabar Hill (in south Mumbai).. They should be guarding the borders of the country,” Gadkari remarked at a function where he laid the foundation stone for an international cruise terminal along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Giving a piece of his mind to Indian Navy accusing it of “creating roadblocks” in development projects, he sought to know why everyone on the navy wants to live in south Mumbai.

“They have come to me seeking a plot of land… I will not give them even an inch of land, please don’t come again,” Gadkari declared, in the presence of top naval, maritime and government officials, including Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Girish Luthra.

He said everybody wants to build quarters in south Mumbai’s prime land and opined that only a few important, senior officials should live there.

“We respect you, but you should go to the Pakistan border… Land on the eastern seafront is being developed by the state government and Mumbai Port Trust which will be for the benefit of local citizens,” Gadkari added.

“We are the government, The Navy and Defence ministry are not the government,” he said.

Gadkari also accused the Indian Navy of making it “a habit” to stall development projects and asked how was the force concerned with Malabar Hill area which is a residential zone with Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister’s official residences.

The Shipping Minister urged the navy to resolve the issues, pointing out that he chairs a committee of delayed infrastructure projects which are cleared as soon as they are put up on the agenda.

Incidentally, south Mumbai’s Colaba houses a large population of Indian Navy personnel, plus the headquarters of the WNC, residential quarters in Navy Nagar, and other pockets including Malad seafront.

The swank new international cruise terminal which will come up in the Mumbai port is slated to cost Rs 300 crore, and will have all facilities like an airport with separate arrival and departure lounges and cater to around 700,000 tourists annually arriving or departing by cruise liners. It is expected to be ready by December 2019.

Fadnavis said that this international cruise terminal is part of the government’s four-pronged policy to develop Mumbai on water, sky, ground and underground with water transport, new international airport, roads and flyovers, and the underground Mumbai Metro.

“This will make Mumbai a global cruise destination, create huge employment opportunities, increase the number of tourists and contribute to the GDP growth of Mumbai and Maharashtra,” he said.

Spread over 4.15 lakh sq. feet, the terminal will be equipped to host cruise ships with a capacity of around 5,000 passengers, with restaurants, shopping, recreated and leisure activities, which would also be accessible to the local population.

In 2016-2017, around 55 international cruise ships carrying over 60,000 passengers touched Mumbai, and this figure is now expected to grow 10 fold to around 700 vessels annually.

With Mumbai alone expected to handle nearly three-fourths of this estimated huge growth in cruise liner traffic, the government plans to develop other ports (besides Mumbai) like Goa, Mangaluru, Kochi and Chennai to cater to big and small international cruise ships.

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.

The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.

Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.

For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.

During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.

Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.

Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .

Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.

In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.

In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.

He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.

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