The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to rename Kolkata Port as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.
The Board of Trustees of Kolkata Port Trust in its Meeting held on February 25 has also passed a Resolution to re-name Kolkata Port as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata considering his multifaceted genius as an eminent jurist, academician, thinker and leader of the masses, according to official release.
On the occasion of the inaugural ceremony of Sesquicentenary Celebrations of Kolkata Port on January 12, keeping in view the sentiments of the people of West Bengal, it was announced that Kolkata Port will be re-named after Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, one of the most deserving sons of West Bengal and a front-runner in national integration, dreamer of Bengal’s development, inspiration for industrialisation and ardent votary of one law for one nation, it said.
The Kolkata Port is the first Major Port as well as the only riverine port of the country. It came to be governed by a Trust on 17th October 1870 on appointment of the Commissioners for Improvement of the Port of Calcutta as per Act V of 1870. It features at Serial Number 1 in The First Schedule, Part I—Major Ports of the Indian Ports Act, 1908 and is governed by the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. Kolkata Port has traversed 150 years, and, in this journey, it has been India’s gateway to trade, commerce and economic development. It has also been a witness to India’s struggle for independence, World Wars l & II and socio-cultural changes taking place in the country, especially in Eastern India, it said.
