Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis Thanks PM Modi for Renaming Port Blair to Sri Vijaya Puram
Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], September 14: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for renaming Port Blair as ‘Sri Vijaya Puram’ and said that the signs of colonialism need to be eradicated. “The signs of colonialism need to be eradicated. I thank the Modi government for doing this,” Fadnavis told reporters on Saturday.
Earlier on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the renaming through a post on X, calling it a move inspired by PM Modi’s vision to free the nation from the colonial imprints. Shah also highlighted the historic importance of the UT and said that it has an “unparalleled place” in freedom struggle and history. “While the earlier name had a colonial legacy, Sri Vijaya Puram symbolises the victory achieved in our freedom struggle and the A&N Islands’ unique role in the same,” Shah wrote in his post.
“The island territory that once served as the naval base of the Chola Empire is today poised to be the critical base for our strategic and development aspirations. It is also the place that hosted the first unfurling of our Tiranga by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Ji and also the cellular jail in which Veer Savarkar Ji and other freedom fighters struggled for an independent nation,” the Home Minister added.
The Maharashtra Deputy CM further said that soybean farmers will directly benefit from a hike in custom duty on crude and refined sunflower oil. “The government has raised the import duty on raw oil to 20 per cent and on refined oil to 32.5 per cent. Our soybean farmers will directly benefit from this and they will get an increased price of their produce. The minimum export price on onions has been done away with and export duty has been reduced from 40 per cent to 20 per cent, which will benefit our onion farmers directly. Additionally, the export duty for basmati rice has been reduced to zero,” he added.
Earlier, the government hiked customs duty on crude and refined sunflower oil to 20 per cent and 32.5 per cent, respectively.
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Maharashtra -: Maharashtra is a state in western India. It is known for its capital, Mumbai, which is the financial hub of India.
Deputy CM -: Deputy CM stands for Deputy Chief Minister. This person is the second-in-command in the state government, helping the Chief Minister run the state.
Devendra Fadnavis -: Devendra Fadnavis is a politician from Maharashtra. He has served as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and is currently the Deputy Chief Minister.
PM Modi -: PM Modi refers to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the head of the government in India. He makes important decisions for the country.
Port Blair -: Port Blair is the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which are a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal, part of India.
Sri Vijaya Puram -: Sri Vijaya Puram is the new name given to Port Blair. It is part of an effort to remove names that remind people of British colonial rule.
Colonial symbols -: Colonial symbols are things that remind people of the time when India was ruled by the British. Changing these symbols is a way to honor Indian history and culture.
Union Home Minister -: The Union Home Minister is a high-ranking official in the Indian government responsible for internal security and domestic policy. Amit Shah is the current Union Home Minister.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands -: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal, part of India. They have a rich history and are known for their natural beauty.
Soybean and onion farmers -: Soybean and onion farmers are people who grow soybeans and onions. These crops are important for food and agriculture in India.
Import and export duties -: Import and export duties are taxes that the government charges on goods coming into or going out of the country. Changes in these duties can affect prices and trade.
