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Govt to come up with 'Port Grid and Port Development' plan for 204 minor ports
Oct-16-2019

Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya has said that the government will come up with a comprehensive 'Port Grid and Port Development' plan in six months for 204 minor ports in the country to boost coastal shipping and inland waterways, and bring a Bill in Parliament to provide a fillip to major ports. He noted that India has 12 major ports -- Deendayal (erstwhile Kandla), Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Kamarajar (earlier Ennore), V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) -- and 204 minor ports are controlled by the states.

The minister said ‘the minor ports will support major ports...small cargo will reach to major port from minor ports and boost country’s export-import (EXIM) cargo.’ He also said the plan will be comprehensive as states lack technical support and world-class guidance. Adding further, he said it would be state governments' responsibility to decide the mode of development, including public private partnership model and the need for the plan was felt as only 44 minor ports are functional of the 204 minor ports in the country.

Besides, Mandaviya said a new bill will be introduced in the upcoming session of Parliament to boost major ports by giving more power to chairmen of ports. He also said many powers will be bestowed on port chairman to take small decisions related to ports' development. He added that this will be done so that major ports can compete with other ports and all files should not reach the Ministry for decisions.

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