Droupadi Murmu Kolkata visit: President Murmu graced the launch of Vindhyagiri- the sixth ship of project 17A of Indian Navy at Garden Reach Shipbuilders Engineers Limited today (August 17).
Stealth frigate 'Vindhyagiri' under 'Project 17 Alpha' was flagged off from Kolkata on the banks of Hooghly River.
Know about Vindhyagiri project:
Vindhyagiri- the sixth ship of project 17A of the Indian Navy at Garden Reach Shipbuilders Engineers Limited. Vindhyagiri, named after the mountain range in Karnataka, is the sixth ship of the Project 17A Frigates.
These warships are follow-ons of the Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class), with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems. It is a technologically advanced Frigate that pays a befitting tribute to the distinguished service of its predecessor, the erstwhile INS Vindhyagiri, the Leander Class ASW Frigate.
“The old Vindhyagiri in its nearly 31 years of service from July 8, 81 to June 11, 2012, had witnessed various challenging operations and multinational exercises. The newly christened Vindhyagiri stands as a symbol of India's determination to embrace its rich naval heritage while propelling itself towards a future of indigenous defence capabilities,” the Ministry of Defence release said.
Under the Project 17A program, a total of four ships by M/s MDL and three ships by M/s GRSE are under construction. The project's first five ships have been launched by MDL and GRSE, between 2019-2022.
Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, the pioneer organisation for all warship design activities.
'My Bengal, Addiction Free Bengal' campaign launch:
President Droupadi Murmu launched a campaign against addiction in Kolkata today (August 17).
The President launched 'My Bengal, Addiction Free Bengal' Campaign under the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan', organized by Brahma Kumaris at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata.
The President had visited West Bengal earlier in March this year on her maiden visit to the state. The President was then offered a Guard of Honour at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata following her arrival.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that drug abuse is a matter of concern for society and the country. Due to these addictions, youth are not able to choose the right direction in their lives. This is very worrying and there is a need to work on all fronts in this matter. She stated that this situation can be improved through spiritual awakening, medication, social solidarity and political will. She appreciated organizations like Brahma Kumaris for discussing such issues and working to solve them.The President said that any kind of addiction develops due to mental stress and peer pressure. Addiction is harmful to health. Many other disorders also arise from addiction. Family and friends of drug addicts also suffer a lot of trouble. She urged all youth to bring into the notice of the family of any addicted friend about the addiction.
The President urged the people who consume drugs to not ruin their life. She said that if they are under any kind of stress, they should talk to their friends, family or any social organization. There is no problem that they cannot face with their willpower. She stated that anti-social elements take advantage of drug usage and addiction. The money spent in buying drugs is also used in criminal activities. She expressed confidence that addicted people would come out of this bad habit for their own good and in the interest of the society and the country.
The President said that youth are our most important assets. The time and energy that they should spend on strengthening the foundation of their future, is being wasted because of addiction. Educational institutions should find out whether the students are going in the wrong direction. If something comes to the fore, action should be taken immediately.
(With agencies inputs)
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