The PM also referred to the era before slavery and said that India flourished with prosperity for thousands of years.”At one point, it held a significant share of the global GDP. What set India apart from other nations during that time was its impressive maritime capabilities and the thriving economic activity in its port cities. Kerala, in particular, played a major role in this success,” he said.Modi further said that the full potential of the port economy is realised when infrastructure development and ease of doing business are prioritised and promoted.”Over the past decade, this approach has been the cornerstone of the government’s port and waterways policies.”Significant strides have been made in advancing industrial activities and driving the holistic development of the state,” he said.Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan highlighted that the state government covered a significant portion of the project cost. Of the total Rs 5,686 crore, the state government contributed Rs 5,370.86 crore, while Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd invested Rs 2,497 crore. The union government provided a viability gap fund of Rs 818 crore. The Vizhinjam port was initially conceived by the UDF government, with the formal agreement signed in 2015. The LDF government, which assumed power in 2016, successfully completed the project on schedule. “We could achieve this too,” Vijayan told the cheering crowd.The formal dedication by the Prime Minister comes over four months after the port began its commercial operations. Trial operations started on July 13, 2024, and the port transitioned to full commercial activity on December 3. Since then, it has handled 285 ships and processed 6 lakh TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of container cargo—almost ten times the original estimate.(With inputs from Online Desk, PTI)
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