Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday flagged off the 15M Fast Interceptor Boat (FIB) at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), stating that the boat is an important step towards the safety and security of Goa’s coastline.
He handed over the boat to the coastal police in the presence of Union Minister of State for Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik, Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar, Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, DGP Jaspal Singh, GSL CMD Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay, and other dignitaries.
Sawant went on a ride on the FIB with the dignitaries before handing over the boat to the Coastal police.
"We are buying a FIB from the GSL because it is very important to have patrolling for Goa. We had around nine patrol boats, but after being used for several years, they have now become non-functional, and we have now purchased a new boat from GSL at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore. This boat is an important step towards the safety and security of Goa’s coastline, and our Coastal Police will make the best use of it. It is very good that the patrol boat has been commissioned before the G20 summit," said Sawant.
The well-equipped patrol boat with the latest weapons will help the coastal police maintain the safety and security of the coastline. CM also said that he had written to the Center about the non-availability of patrol boats with the Union Home Minister at the West Zonal Council meeting.
Union Minister Shripad Naik said having a new patrol boat is good news for Goa, which is an international tourist destination and has people from all over visiting the state.
“The new FIB made by the GSL will make the security of Goa even stronger and while this is only a start, we may have more such boats, if required, in the future because we cannot compromise on the safety or the security of any State in the country," said Naik
