KANNUR: Defence Minister A K Antony laid the foundation-stone for the Indian Coast Guard Academy planned to be built at Irinave near Azhikkal in the district here on Saturday.The Coast Guard Academy coming up a few kilometres away from the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, is the first-of-its-kind in the country. Addressing the stone-laying ceremony, Antony said that the Coast Guard had a greater role to play in meeting the maritime requirements of the nation and the defence of the country. Recounting the maritime history of the state from the time of the great warrior Kunjali Marakkar, the Defence Minister said that there was an urgent need to step up the strength of the Coast Guard in the country. The economic strength gained by the nation and the threats posed by terrorism of all kinds has shown that Coast Guard has to play a very crucial role in protecting the people, he said. Appreciating the role of the state government in offering support to the project, the Defence Minister said that the Coast Guard Academy would offer training facilities to the new recruits to the Coast Guard from all over the country. This would lead to the development of the region also. Antony, who read out the first part of his speech from a prepared text in English, switched over to Malayalam and said that he had always followed the policy of keeping politics away from development activities, stating that mixing politics with development has never been his policy. The Centre had launched six projects in the last five years of the LDF rule in Kerala and he had obtained the complete co-operation of the state government in initiating the projects, he said. Earlier, Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra, Director General of Coast Guard, welcomed the gathering. Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty, former industries minister Elamaram Kareem and District panchayat president K A Sarala offered felicitations.
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