Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 09 September 2024
In a significant development, the central government has officially notified the upcoming transshipment port at Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar as a major port. This strategic move marks a critical milestone in the ongoing efforts to transform the island into a major hub for transshipment, trade, and tourism.
Understanding the Classification of Ports in India:
India’s ports are classified as either major or minor, depending on their governance. Under the Indian Ports Act of 1908, major ports fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Government, while minor ports are managed by the respective State Governments. Major ports, by their designation, receive direct administrative oversight from the Central Government and are eligible for central funding, which significantly boosts their development and operational capacities.
The Significance of Great Nicobar’s Transshipment Port Designation:
The notification of the transshipment port at Galathea Bay as a major port places it directly under the administrative control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. This designation not only aligns the port with national strategic priorities but also unlocks opportunities for substantial central funding. According to a recent report, the development of this port will be managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) comprising four state-owned ports: Deendayal Port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, Paradip Port Authority, and V O C Port Authority.
An Ambitious Vision: The Great Nicobar Mega Project –
The Great Nicobar Mega Project is a transformative initiative aimed at establishing the island as a key player in global trade and commerce. The project encompasses four primary components: an international transshipment port, an international airport, a large power plant, and a new township. While the idea of an international transshipment port at Great Nicobar is not new—it has been discussed since the 1970s—the recent developments signal a renewed commitment to bringing this vision to fruition.
For decades, settlers on Great Nicobar have referred to the prospective port as the ‘Free Port,’ with stories of its potential to revolutionize the island’s economy being passed down through generations. With the official notification as a major port, this long-anticipated project is now closer to becoming a reality, promising to bring unprecedented economic growth and development to the region.
Excellent
Great
The declaration of Galathea Bay as a major port this month is good news especially as it ushers in an era where the government gives practical shape to National Issues on a continuum. The Great Nicobar Islands will be more accessible by the citizens. However, it brings its own challenges.
Apart from getting the additional citizens (beware of Rohingyas, Bangladeshi Muslims or INDI Alliance pseudo nationalists) moving here by the time the project fructifies in three odd decades.
The foreign engineered education system is not be allowed to enter these Islands with sons of soil having honesty getting involved with establishing the Gurukuls from Class Nursery to Class V, at least. Any convent education needs to be stopped which teaches English without our true cultural heritage with glorification of Mughals and British.
The ANIs (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) represented true India with people living amicably but sabotaged gradually especially after the seventies due to Business Communities settling down here with a singular aim to earn money. The Police force here is the most honest when one compares the ethics of this force with the rest of the country.
Our country opened up libralisation with a vision under Manmohan Singh (who did not have the political acumen coupled with a spirit of loyalty with team which led the anti national dynastic family to exploit the PM’s chair) which, the then ruling party engineered it over a period of time to derail the National Spirit (create a wedge between citizens while making the State of Punjab weak and encouraging population explosion with communal leanings) wherein we have become corrupt on day to day dealings.
Any new project being introduced in new areas needs to be dovetailed into national security. The curses which have fallen on the world while we are dealing with presently- lack of proper education system (during our times in government schools, a twenty minutes of zero period after morning assembly just devoted to moral science has been done away with) leading to over population & poverty, affecting the character of citizens and finally eroding code of conduct which involves virtues such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings, purity in dealings with others with love, goodwill, mercy, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, generosity, and asceticism. There is only one condition for violence to be taught that “in case all means to stop the anti national march fails, then resort to force as Indians rather than following Mohan Chand Karam Chand Gandhi’s gyan (resulting in partition) to remain non violent to stone pelting or those who engineer Wakf Board and meet foreigners like George Soros etc etc…”.
As a Veteran posted near Haji Peer Pass in the nineties, felt my first anguish towards the politicians to have given it back to Pak in spite of winning it back by sacrifices of soldiers,. Whenever the topic of non usage of Air Force by Nehru against China in 1962 comes up as also the return of 93,000 prisoners by Indira to Pak in 1971 without asking for the Kartarpur Corridor back as well as the POK a helplessness and disdain towards the then leaders is strongly felt. Teach the history of Nathu La of 1967 wherein the Chinese went away with a bloody nose.
We have failed to educate the Indians holistically and any area where the new demographic shift takes place due to development, it is to be controlled by the government to make sure that the anti national elements are not given any business involved in providing their earnings to Madrasas (innocence of printing Indian Currency ? Huh ? or anti national elements.