The Hindu Business Line : Centre finalising maritime policy: Baalu

The Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu, flanked by Mr D.T. Joseph, Secretary for Shipping, and Mr K. Raghuramaiah, Chairman, Paradip Port Trust, briefing the press on the Maritime States Development Council meeting in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. — Ashoke Chakrabarty

Bhubaneswar , Nov. 10

THE Centre is in the process of finalising a comprehensive policy for the maritime sector, the Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu, said here on Thursday.

Talking to presspersons after addressing the seventh meeting of the Maritime States Development Council, Mr Baalu said the focus areas have been identified and the policy will be adopted in three months.

Addressing the Council meeting earlier, Mr Baalu said the new policy seeks to combine vision and strategy for the sector through harmonious and coordinated development of the maritime assets like ports, shipping, inland water transport systems and ship-building and ship-repair industries.

The Minister said one of the components of the policy proposes framing of a scheme to provide assistance for development of minor ports.

The assistance contemplates 33 per cent of the cost up to a maximum of Rs 100 crore for activities such as channel, backwater etc.

Public-private partnership: Mr Baalu said that the Centre has taken up preparation of the National Maritime Development Programme by identifying specific schemes and projects.

The programme will be implemented through public-private partnership and will involve investment of Rs 60,000 crore in the ports sector and Rs 40,000 crore in the shipping and inland water transport sector.

He said new projects were also being undertaken at major ports so that their capacity matches the anticipated traffic and results in improved efficiency.

These projects include an iron ore terminal and clean cargo berth at Paradip Port, second container terminal in the Chennai and Tuticorin ports, and an offshore container terminal at Mumbai port.

Inland waterways: Mr Baalu said the country has over 14,000 km length navigable waterways, but cargo transported through these inland waterways was less than one per cent of the total cargo movement.

In order to encourage use of more waterways, the Centre was considering proposals to declare three new waterways — Kakinada-Pondicherry canal integrated with Godavari and Krishna rivers, East Coast Canal integrated with Brahmani river and Mahanadi Delta system, and Barak river in Assam.

The Minister said the Centre and maritime State Governments should pool their resources and work together in a partnership spirit to build up modern port capacities to render efficient and cost effective service to the users.

The meeting of the Council should be held more frequently to discuss important subjects like development and management of ports that was vital to the economic growth of the country, he said.

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