Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Dec 8: The first training academy to keep the Coast Guard Force fully alert will be established in the city. 160 acres of land for this purpose has been already allotted by the Gurpur River at Kenjar. The academy is expected to start functioning in another two year's time.
As this is the first academy of its kind, many states had demanded the same to be established in their respective land. Due to the influence of the then defence minister A K Antony, the academy had gone in favour of Kerala and even the foundation stone laying ceremony was also over. However, now the same is shifted to Mangaluru. This matter is confirmed by Sripada Nayak, assistant minister of central defence ministry.
Representational photo
MLA and former minister U T Khader said, "The state government has reserved 160 acres of land in Mangaluru for the establishment of Coast Guard Academy. The cabinet has approved this project. As the academy will be founded in Mangaluru, all facilities will be available to the Coast Guard."
Earlier, the same land of 160 acres was allotted to JESCO Company. However, as the company did not do any investment on that, it was taken back by KIADB (Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board). Two years ago, the then state government had decided to sanction the land to Coast Guard Academy if the central defence ministry agreed. Cabinet of the then government had also given its approval for the same. The then minister U T Khader had put in lots of efforts for this project, which is worth Rs 1,010 crore, to be established in Mangaluru.
In March 2018, the then defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman had visited the proposed site along with Rajendra Singh, director general of Coast Guard and had instructed to shift the training academy from Kerala to Mangaluru. The proposed land is under KIADB at present. If this needs to be given to Coast Guard, the rate needs to be fixed first. Then the land will be bought by the central government and handed over to Coast Guard for the work to begin.
If the proposed academy gets founded in Mangaluru, it will be the training center for all the young and new recruits who join the Coast Guard Force. Latest and modern ships, boats, helicopters and other vehicles and instruments will arrive in the city. This is better for the protection of the Arabian Sea as well as the whole western coast. It will also contribute in a great way to the economic development of the city.
At present the coast guard personnel are trained in the Indian Naval Academy. After the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack, the central government had intended to triple the property and fundamental infrastructure of coast guard. Accordingly, in 2009, the central cabinet had approved the establishment of a Coast Guard Training Academy.