Ezhimala (Kannur):
Speaking about the significance of the Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala, A K Antony has revealed that the Union Cabinet has given the nod to the proposal to launch the work of the second phase of INA.
It was a meeting of the Union Cabinet held a couple of days ago that the proposal to sanction funds amounting to Rs 140 crore was approved, he said. He also said that on completion of the second phase of the work, the Ezhimala Naval Academy will be one of best naval academies in the world.
The INA's present capacity to train 780 cadets would go up to 1,200 on completion of the second phase, he said. Pointing out that the role of the Navy has assumed greater significance in view of its responsibility to protect the 7,500 kilometre-stretch of the Indian coast, the Defence Minister said that the Indian Navy was playing a significant role in checking the menace of pirates and the looming threat from terrorists.
Answering a question, Antony said that a proposal to sanction a special package of financial assistance by the Union government to Kerala, as done in the case of West Bengal, was being considered by the Centre. The government in the state had already made such a request, he said.
In reply to another question, the Defence Minister said that the government had taken no steps to impose any control over the functioning of the visual media. The imposition of any control over social networking sites had also never come under the consideration of the Central government, he clarified.