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The Water Transport Workers Federation of India has voiced concern over the move by the Centre to push the Major Port Authority Bill 2016 in the ensuing Parliament session.
They apprehend that the objective of the new legislation is to convert the public owned major ports into full-fledged corporate entities.
Meet in Kochi
The national working committee meeting of the Federation will be held in Kochi on November 24 and 25 to deliberate and decide on the action plan to tackle the situation and joining hands with other organisations in the port sector to oppose the move.
CD Nandakumar, president of the Federation, said the proposed legislation would eliminate all the remaining hurdles to privatise major ports. Various clauses in the MPA Bill 2016 will act as catalyst for transforming major ports into private entities.
The new Bill also has provisions for the sale of port land, which is the biggest asset of major ports.
All restrictions and safeguards regarding fund utilisation, deposits, mode of investments and fund managements etc are diluted in favour of private banks unlike in the MPT Act 1963, he said.
According to him, all the major federations in the port sector have given reasons with facts before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport to which the MPA Bill 2016 was referred.
But none of the recommendations of the committee was accepted by the government and neglected the views of the labour federations.
Nandakumar pointed out that the national working committee meeting assumes greater significance at a time when the port sector is passing through a series of issues, including exaggerated and unrealistic growth projection in the Exim trade, declining Indian tonnage, easing of cabotage restrictions allowing foreign flag vessels in coastal shipping movement, a new stevedoring policy that would pave the way for labour exploitation.
WTWFI also protested against the Shipping Ministry's move in compelling various major ports to divert their surplus/reserve funds to various unviable, unfamiliar and non-port related projects despite objection from the Port Trust boards.
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