US awards 26 Indian shipping firms taking part in high sea rescue
Mumbai, Aug 27: The United States Consulate in Mumbai on Monday awarded 26 Indian shipping companies which participated in the US Coast Guard (USCG)'s Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) programmes.
The AMVER in a worldwide initiative that ensures quick and efficient rescue of disabled or distressed ships at sea, saving the lives of sailors and ensuring continuity of shipping operations.
US Consul-General in Mumbai Edgard Kagan said that AMVER, now in its Diamond Jubilee year, is an excellent example of mutual assistance and partnership.
"These awards are an opportunity to recognize the Indian merchant mariners and their efforts to facilitate world trade while preserving safety at sea," Kagan said.
Presenting the awards jointly with Kagan, India's Director-General of Shipping Malini V. Shankar said that AMVER is a unique and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide to arrange for assistance to ships and sailors in distress at sea.
"Instead of relying only on specialized rescue operations, this initiative provides an excellent opportunity for mutual cooperation on the seas. AMVER is an enduring example of international public-private partnership," Shankar added.
Established in 1958 and managed by the USCG, AMVER is a search-and-rescue (SAR) programme in which merchant ships sailing the high seas make themselves available for maritime emergency response on a voluntary basis without regard to nationality but with the main objective that no call for help should go unresponded.
Over 140 nations are participating in AMVER, providing a global safety net for mariners, comprising more than 7,850 ships available to carry out SAR services worldwide.
In 2017, AMVER mobilized 103 ships for providing such assistance to distressed ships and helped save 153 lives of mariners.
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Officially take stand against guarantee schemes, seek its withdrawal in Assembly: Shivakumar to BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday challenged the opposition BJP to officially take a stand as a party against the five guarantee schemes, and to formally make a statement in the Legislative Assembly asking the government to withdraw them.
He said that if the BJP clarifies its official stand during the ongoing Budget session, the matter can be discussed in detail.
The Deputy CM said this while BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda was speaking during the discussion on the state budget in the Assembly.
Asking the government to revisit the guarantee schemes ('Shakti', 'Gruha Lakshmi', 'Gruha Jyoti', 'Yuva Nidhi' and 'Anna Bhagya'), the MLA urged the government to withdraw these schemes from affluent people and divert the funds toward developmental work.
"You (BJP) members are individually sharing your opinion in the Assembly. You tell your decision to us as a party in the Assembly to revisit or withdraw the guarantee schemes. Let's discuss. Since it's your party's opinion, we cannot say it's wrong right away. Let's discuss. If you do it during this Budget session itself, we will discuss it," Shivakumar said.
Gowda replied to Shivakumar by saying that it was the Congress' decision to announce and implement the guarantee schemes, why drag BJP into it, take a decision as a government.
Reacting to it, Shivakumar said, "After the guarantees announcement was made (following the 2023 assembly polls), Yediyurappa (BJP veteran and former CM) had said that the five schemes should be implemented without any shortcoming, so all the schemes were implemented within six months. We have heard you (BJP) too, while implementing the schemes."
Further claiming that unlike in Karnataka, only ruling party workers benefit in BJP-ruled Assam, he said, "Congress people and supporters don't get any benefits there."
Accepting that the guarantee schemes are not needed for those well off, government officials, and others, he said, "We have taken a decision, various suggestions are coming. As a political party you (BJP) come to a decision. We will discuss that....give it officially."
Revenue Minister Priyank Kharge intervened and said, "Let the BJP as its official party, stand say -- withdraw five guarantee schemes."
