The President also virtually inaugurated a Multi Model Logistic Park as well as laid the foundation stones for new reservoir and water treatment plant for Port Township and next-gen Vessel Traffic Management and Information System.
The historical memories of Bali Yatra – a symbolic boat trip of merchants to the islands of Java, Sumatra, Bali etc every year is appreciable. Baliyatra is a unique festival celebrated in the memory of its glorious past. Celebrated since time immemorial, this festival is a symbol of the prosperity of maritime trade of Odisha. It also highlights the rich cultural consciousness of the people of Odisha.
Maritime trade has been playing an important role in the trade and economic development of our country. 95 percent of India’s total trade in terms of volume and 65 percent in terms of value are done through sea transport.
India’s ports need to function with greater efficiency in line with the global standards. That is why, there is a need to further strengthen the infrastructure of Indian ports and increase their efficiency.
The Sagarmala program is a commendable step in this direction. She stated that the Government of India is working to realize the vision of ‘Ports for Prosperity’ and ‘Ports for Progress’.
Paradip Port’s cargo handling capacity has doubled in the last decade. It is poised to become the largest port on the east coast. It also got the ‘Port of Operational Excellence Award’ at the Global Maritime India Summit – 2023.
Paradip is one of the Major Ports of India. Late Biju Patnaik, the then Chief Minister of Odisha, is the founder father of Paradip Port. It is the only Major Port in the State of Odisha situated 210 nautical miles south of Kolkata and 260 nautical miles north of Visakhapatnam on the east coast on the shore of Bay of Bengal.
Late Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister of India, laid the foundation stone of the Port on 3rd January 1962 near the Confluence of the river Mahanadi and the Bay of Bengal.
The Government of India declared Paradip Port as the Eighth Major Port of India on 18th April 1966 making it the FIRST MAJOR PORT in the East Coast commissioned after independence.
By
KMA Team
