Coast Guard commander reviews operational readiness of Mangaluru unit
Mangaluru (PTI): Indian Coast Guard (ICG) commander (coast guard region-west) inspector general Bhisham Sharma conducted an inspection of the Coast Guard unit in Mangaluru, the headquarters of Karnataka, as part of his four-day visit.
The visit concluded on Saturday.
The primary objective of the inspection was to assess the operational readiness and infrastructure development of the unit, which involved a comprehensive review of the preparedness of various assets located in Mangaluru, with specific focus on improving operational capabilities, a Coast Guard release here said.
The commander personally supervised the ongoing infrastructure development projects and evaluated the operational readiness of sea and air assets along the coast of Mangaluru. The fleet of ships and aircraft showcased during the visit demonstrated the Coast Guard's operational preparedness in Karnataka.
Sharma underscored the importance of maintaining high-level readiness and robust infrastructure in these critical coastal regions. The demonstration of operational readiness reflected the Coast Guard's steadfast commitment to protecting the nation's coastal territories and safeguarding maritime interests.
The visit demonstrated the Coast Guard's commitment to continuous improvement, aiming to be ever-ready to effectively respond to any maritime contingencies, the release added.
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India is the place for large-scale organic production, says Commerce Secretary
Nuremberg (PTI): India is the place for large-scale organic production and the country is keen to collaborate with the EU to strengthen this ecosystem to cater to rising demands, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said here on Tuesday.
Agrawal also said that India's organic products exports have grown threefold over the last 10 years, and the government now aims to triple them again over the next five years.
"India is the place" to serve the world as a good organic food basket, he said, adding that India has 150.3 million hectares of agricultural land under cultivation.
He said that the organic ecosystem is growing very fast in the country, as today, 3 per cent of India's cultivation is organic.
In India, 4.7 million hectares of land is under organic cultivation, with 2.4 million farmers practising it, and it is only increasing by the day, he said.
The Secretary was speaking at the inauguration of Biofach 2026. About 100 exhibitors from 20 Indian states, including Assam, Meghalaya, and Kerala, are here to showcase their organic food products at the world's leading trade fair Biofach show (February 10-13).
He informed that India is emerging as a credible supplier of organic food, both within India and outside.
"I see this happening in a much faster manner. So if world needs the state for organic production, I think India is the place, and we like to work with all of you to see how we can improve the Indian organic food ecosystem to serve both the Indian rising demand within India and also the rising demand in two of our biggest markets," he said.
He called for creating credibility around organic foods. There is a need to ensure trust and credibility around the certification of these products.
India started with the national programme for organic production way back in 2001 and that was designed to adopt the international standards of organic goods.
"And now we are bringing in cooperatives in a big way," he said, adding that cooperatives can bring in and aggregate farmers to create good, viable organic ecosystem in various villages across the country.
