Yediyurappa asks Karnataka CM to reconsider decision to name Shivamogga airport after him
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa has requested the Karnataka government to name the airport that is coming up at Shivamogga after any illustrious personality of the state, following it's recent decision to name it after him.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai after inspecting the ongoing work of the airport at Sogane in Shivamogga on April 20, had announced that it will be named after the former chief minister, and would send a proposal in this regard to the Civil Aviation Ministry, Government of India.
Yediyurappa has written a letter to Bommai on April 24 in this regard.
"I am touched by Chief Minister Bommai's decision to name the Shivamogga airport after me. With all humility, I request the government to name the airport after any illustrious personality of Karnataka which will be a befitting tribute to their contribution," Yediyurappa said in a tweet along with a copy the letter.
The government's decision to name the airport after the state BJP strongman had elicited some opposition, with some people including those in the opposition pointing out that there were several prominent personalities from the district who deserve the honour.
Shivamogga is the political base of Yediyurappa, he is the MLA from Shikaripura Assembly segment in the district, while his elder son B Y Raghavendra is an MP from Shivamogga parliamentary constituency.
Thanking the Chief Minister for his assurance regarding immediate release of funds for the faster completion of the airport work and expressing gratitude to him and other leaders for the decision to name it after him, Yediyurappa in his letter pointed out that there were several patriots and visionaries who have contributed to the development of the country and compared to them his contribution is very small.
"I'm only filled with a sense of gratitude for having been able to serve the people who have continually supported and nurtured me. Hence I am of the view that naming the new airport after me is not appropriate. So please reconsider the decision and after discussing it at the right platform, I request you to name the airport after any illustrious personality who has contributed to the development of the country, the state and the history," he added.
The Shivamogga airport will have the second longest runway in Karnataka after Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.
The airport, with international standard facilities, will be inaugurated in December this year.
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Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
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The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
