Western Regional Commander of the Indian Coast Guard, Inspector General Manoj Vasant Baadkar said here on Saturday that the Coast Guard’s first training academy will come up on 159 acres in Mangaluru and all clearances of the State government for setting up the academy have been completed.
Replying to questions at a press conference aboard Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Varaha’, Mr. Baadkar said that the process of completing some clearances from Central departments is under way.
The government has appointed a consultant for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) for establishing the academy. It might take two years for the academy to be in place once the DPR is approved, he said.
Mr. Baadkar said that the academy can offer tailor-made training programmes for its personnel. “Some specialised training for the personnel which are now being offered in abroad can be programmed in the academy,” he said, adding that now the new Coast Guard personnel underwent the basic training in the Indian Naval Academy and they underwent some training at the Army and some at abroad.
Praveen Kumar Mishra, Karnataka Commander of the Indian Coast Guard, said that a hangar of the Coast Guard is being built in Mangaluru at the old airport in Bajpe. It might take two years to be ready. Later four Dornier aircraft will be positioned in Mangaluru.
Later addressing the Coast Guard personnel aboard the ship during his first visit to Karnataka after taking charge as the Western Regional Commander last month, Mr. Baadkar said that Indian Coast Guard is highly regarded and respected internationally. The personnel should be proud that they are part of such a unit.
Mr. Baadkar, hailing from Karwar, asked the personnel to serve in the unit as a member of the family.
Mr. Baadkar was the Karnataka Commander of the coast guard from 2006 to 2008.
