Green Channel Status To L&T Defense For Naval Weapon Systems

Green Channel status to L&T Defense for naval weapon systems.

On Monday, the Ministry of Defense granted Green Channel status to L&T Defense for large naval weapon systems.

Having this status exempts the status of deemed registration and inspection before supply. L&T is the first private-sector defense company to achieve green channel status for large systems.

The company issued a statement stating that the status has been conferred to it by the Directorate General Quality Assurance (DGQA).

DGQA is working under the Ministry of Defense after a stringent audit of its production centers, quality systems, and products.

L&T Defense is the defense manufacturing arm of Larsen & Toubro. The Green Channel also allows companies to certify certain systems and products themselves.

The Ministry of Defense launched the Green Channel Policy in March 2017 under Make in India.

Six international routes identified to boost sailing, boost tourism

New routes have been identified for a ferry, ro-ro (roll on roll of), and ro-pax services to promote coastal sailing and tourism.

These include the Somnath Temple, Hazira, Okha, and Jamnagar. Six international routes have also been identified under the Sagarmala Project of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

The ministry issued a statement saying that some domestic locations have been identified for starting ferry services through inland waterways, including Hazira.

Okha, Somnath Temple, Diu, Pipavav, Dahej, Mumbai / JNPT, Jamnagar, Kochi, Ghogha, Goa, Mundra, and Mandvi are included.

Apart from these, six international routes have also been identified which will connect the major Indian coastal port cities with four international locations.

These include Chattagram (Bangladesh), Seychelles (East Africa), Madagascar (East Africa), and Jaffna (Sri Lanka).

The ministry has recently started a Ro-Pax service between Hazira and Ghogha. The service has reduced the distance of 370 km between Ghogha and Hazira to 90 km and the travel time from 10-12 hours to about five hours.

This will also save about nine thousand liters of fuel per day.

The government said that it would accelerate the tourism industry and create job opportunities in coastal areas and save both cost and time on travel by waterway instead of road and rail network for users.