Kerala naval academy to be Asia's biggest
Friday, 02 November 2007, 19:30 IST
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Kochi: Defence Minister A.K. Antony Friday said here that the naval academy that is coming up at Ezhimala in Kannur district of Kerala would be Asia's biggest and best naval training institute when completed. "I had a discussion about that here and I feel it would be fully ready to be opened by January 2009," Antony told reporters. The defence minister was here to attend a function of the Coast Guard. The Ezhimala academy is coming up on a 2,500-acre site, about 400 km from here. The foundation stone for the project was laid by then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1987. Antony also said that the final clearance for the proposed Kannur airport would be given at the next cabinet meeting. Asked why projects for Kerala were getting delayed, he shot back saying that he had always taken a proactive role in the development of the state. "The only difference is that I don't issue press statements on what I do because that is not my style of operation." Antony did not answer any question on the return of former Congress leader K. Karunakaran to the party's fold. "I am standing on defence property and will not answer any political questions," he said.
Source: IANS
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