The Hindu Business Line : `Land-locked States must have dedicated ports'

The country's land-locked States must have dedicated ports in the nearest other state with coastline, according to the Bihar Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar.

"Just as there is an international convention empowering land-locked countries to access the nearest port facilities even if it means transiting through a not-so-friendly neighbour, there should be a proper national policy in this regard for the benefit of the country's land-locked states, more so when there are several such States", Mr Kumar told Business Line here.

For example, he said, the land-locked Bihar should have a dedicated port either in West Bengal or in Orissa.

Asked if he had taken up the matter with these States, he replied that first we needed a comprehensive national policy in this regard.

"I'll shortly make a formal presentation in this regard," he said, adding, "let there be a national debate on it".

He conceded that trade and industry in Bihar or for that matter in the other land-locked states were now accessing ports most suitable for them.

"But then for these states to have dedicated ports for themselves will make a lot of difference and will most certainly be an important step towards correcting the regional imbalance", he observed.

The Chief Minister wondered if the kind of inclusive growth being targeted to achieve in the Eleventh Plan would ever become a reality in the absence of a balanced regional development.

"Infrastructure development is critically important for reducing regional imbalance and a port is a very important component of infrastructure", he said.

Mr Kumar made it clear that the pace of development of various railway projects in Bihar left much to be desired.

"The Railways must be having its own priorities and problems on which I'll not comment but any help needed by the Railways will be extended by the State Government", he said.

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