Sarthak Kanjilal
Port Blair, Sept 16: A meeting was by Pradesh Congress Committee and INTUC at Andaman Tamilzar Sangham today to honour Mr. G.K. Vasan, Union Minister of Shipping. In the beginning, Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, President, Pradesh Committee and INTUC welcomed the Minister and the gatherings.
Mr. Sharma on behalf of Pradesh Congress Committee and INTUC extended his deep gratitude to the Minister for accepting Party’s invitation and giving the Party members an opportunity to express Party’s views more precisely pertaining to the Shipping Sector.
Mr. Sharma told to the Minister that he is placing a few genuine grievances and demands of the shipping fraternity as well of the general public, which he feels, if addressed properly will go a long way in resolving various shipping related issues presently prevalent .
Mr. Sharma raised many issues like revision in payment of overtime allowance on the basis of wages of Sixth Central Pay Commission; Issue of NCV certification for the sea going Engine Drivers/ Inland Engine Driver Certificate holders of Directorate of Shipping( DSS); Conduct of Mate and Second Mate (NCV limited) certification for the Inland Vessel certificate holders of DSS vessels; Deployment of local CDC holders in all the Mainland Sector passenger vessel owned by the A&N Administration; Monthly Pension scheme for seafarers; Medical Coverage for family of Seafarers of A & N Islands deployed with DSS, A & N Admn; Renewal of CDC and issuance of Duplicate CDC on Tatkal basis for the seafarers of A & N Islands; Income Tax exemption for seafarers; Tenure posting of MMD Surveyor at Port Blair and upgrading the Office of Surveyor –in-Charge, MMD, Port Blair to the Office of Principal Surveyor , MMD, Port Blair; Transhipment port with Bunkering station at Campbell Bay; Flat Bay Fresh Water Lake project in South Andaman; Berthing of mainland bound passenger vessels at Mayabunder and Campbell Bay; Augmentation of berthing facilities at port of Diglipur; Conventional Dry dock facilities at Shore point near Bamboo flat and a floating Dry dock in Port Blair; Special Package for Acquisition of Ships and Creation of Berthing Facilities; Owning of Cargo vessel and Oil Tanker by the A&N Administration; Establishment of Maritime Academy; Upgrading of port infrastructure facilities at Havlock. Neil and Long Island for tourism; Transportation subsidy on transportation of sand from mainland; Extension of Inland Vessel (IV) Water Limits in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Introduction of Night Navigation facilities in the Ports of A&N Islands.
The Union Minister of Shipping, Mr. GK Vasan in his address said that under the leadership of Smti Sonia Gandhi, the Chairperson, UPA, & Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister have launched several flagship programmes for upliftment of poor sections of the Society.
It should be sincere endeavour of each and every Congressmen to ensure that the benefits of these flagship programmes viz NRHM, NEREGA, ICDS etc should reach to the poorest of the poors.
Mr. Vasan assured that he will take up all the shipping related issues presented by Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma and will pursue each of every issue with the concerned departments of the concerned Ministry.
Praising Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma as one of the most dynamic figures in UPA, Mr. Vasan told the gathering that very soon the people of Andaman and Niobar Islands will find him in the Parliament. The programme was conducted by Mr MZ Siddiqi, General Secretary while vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. G Bhaskar, General Secretary, PCC.
