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Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy and Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday jointly held a meeting to discuss and review the use of steel obtained from the recycling of ships.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), and the Ship Recycling Industries Association (SRIA), to examine the existing regulatory framework and explore avenues for usage of secondary steel obtained from ship recycling. The discussions were held focusing on expanding the application of recycled ship steel to additional sectors, with a view to enhancing value generation from ship recycling and reinforcing Indias position as the worlds leading ship recycling hub. The meeting underscored the Governments commitment to promote circular economy practices, supporting domestic steel manufacturing, and ensuring that Indias ship recycling industry continues to set global benchmarks in sustainability and efficiency. Earlier, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired the 2nd Governing Council Meeting of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) Society on Friday, reviewing the progress of the ambitious project coming up at Lothal, Gujarat, that seeks to revive and showcase India's maritime legacy spanning over five millennia. Calling NMHC one of the most significant cultural and maritime initiatives undertaken by the Government of India, Sonowal said the project aims to establish Lothal as a globally renowned centre of maritime heritage, knowledge, education and tourism. He was particularly encouraged by the international response the project has received, with 13 countries, including Portugal, the UAE, Vietnam, Thailand, the Netherlands, Denmark, Oman, Israel, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Italy, New Zealand and Singapore, having signed MoUs for collaboration, with discussions underway with several more nations towards a proposed pipeline of 35-plus partnerships. The Council additionally considered and approved the proposed NMHC Bye-laws, providing a governance framework for the Society's transition into a fully operational institution. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal attributed the momentum behind the project to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose leadership India's maritime heritage has been placed at the centre of national policy. (ANI)
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