Paradip: President Droupadi Murmu today graced the Boita Bandana ceremony or Balijatra, being organized by the Paradip Port Authority here to celebrate Odisha’s glorious maritime history.
The President, who was on a two-day visit to the State, also virtually inaugurated a Multi Model Logistic Park as well as laid the foundation stones for new reservoir and water treatment plant for the port township and next-gen Vessel Traffic Management and Information System.
Speaking on the occasion, Shrimati Murmu remembered the historical memories of Baliyatra – a symbolic boat trip of merchants to the islands of Java, Sumatra, Bali etc every year.
Balijatra is a unique festival celebrated in the memory of its glorious past. Celebrated since time immemorial, this festival is a symbol of the prosperity of maritime trade of Odisha. It also highlights the rich cultural consciousness of the people of Odisha, she said.
Stating that the sea has been a major means of strengthening India’s trade, commerce and international relations, Shrimati Murmu said literature based on the sea has also enriched Indian culture.
Odisha and other coastal states had a long and prosperous tradition of naval commerce. Apart from trade and commerce, those merchants also played an important role in spreading Indian art and culture abroad, the President pointed out.
“Maritime trade has been playing an important role in the trade and economic development of our country. About 95 percent of India’s total trade in terms of volume and 65 percent in terms of value are done through sea transport, Shrimati Murmu said.
She stated that India’s ports need to function with greater efficiency in line with the global standards. That is why, there is a need to further strengthen the infrastructure of Indian ports and increase their efficiency.
The President further said that the Sagarmala program is a commendable step in this direction. The Government of India is working to realize the vision of ‘Ports for Prosperity’ and ‘Ports for Progress’.
Shrimati Murmu was happy to note that Paradip Port’s cargo handling capacity has doubled in the last decade. It is poised to become the largest port on the east coast. It also got the ‘Port of Operational Excellence Award’ at the Global Maritime India Summit – 2023.
She expressed confidence that today inaugurated Multi-Modal Logistics Park will give a new direction to the transparent development of trade. The Vessel Traffic Management and Information System (VTMIS) enabled new modern signal stations will make navigation through this port more safe and orderly, the President added.
After completing her two-day tour, Shrimati Murmu returned to New Delhi from Bhubaneswar this afternoon.