The Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that Kochi is a cosmopolitan city with a blend of rich culture, heritage and modernization. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Kochi Municipal Corporation, in Kochi, Kerala today. The Governor of Kerala, Shri P. Sathasivam, the Minister for Local Self-Governments, Welfare of Minorities, Wakf and Haj, Kerala, Dr. K.T. Jaleel, the Mayor of Kochi, Smt. Soumini Jain and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.The Vice President said that Kochi has had strong ties with the Greeco-Romans, active trading relations with many South Asian and South-East Asian nations and also has been a colony of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. He further said that it is one of the top destinations in the country for a wide range of industries – from Tourism, Shipping and Information Technology to International trade and Bio-technology. The Container Transshipment terminal at Vallarpadam, international bunkering terminal and the CNG Terminal have developed Kochi into an economic and logistical hub, he added.The Vice President said that rapid urbanization, burgeoning urban population, unplanned and haphazard growth of urban areas, inability of the civic bodies to cope with increasing demand in services, lack of adequate financial resources and functional powers are the major problems faced by corporations and other urban civic bodies. He further said that since mayors and corporators are elected by the people, they would be directly answerable to the voters. They also need to be empowered with three Fs—funds, functions and functionaries, he added.