Ports must be smart, sustainable and safe while aiming for global standards: Mansukh Mandaviya

March 3, 2020: Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a three day Ports Review Meeting in Mamallapuram, Tamilnadu and asked officials to make Indian ports smart, sustainable and safe while striving to match international standards.

Chairpersons of all major ports of India, senior officials of the Ministry of Shipping, and other officials of major ports attended the meeting.

“Detailed contemplation on various matters for improving the performance of the major ports, strengthening to directly compete with private or non-major ports, port modernisation, implementing e-governance to make ports faceless and paperless, developing India as ‘trans-shipment hub’ and Vision-2030 for Maritime Sector was done,” says the release.

Interacted with Officials, shared my vision of ‘Smart, Sustainable & Safe #Ports_of_India’ on the last day of Chintan Baithak, encouraged them to execute best practices followed worldwide in the #Maritime_Sector.
The present performance and future possibilities were deliberated. pic.twitter.com/CPg4xXPEPZ

— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) March 1, 2020

Chairpersons of all major ports presented their respective ports performance with innovative measures, significant achievements, overall financial condition, and future planning for the development of ports. During the Ports Review Meeting, Chairpersons also apprised the Minister of Shipping about the issues in which Ministry level interventions are required. Mandaviya solved various challenges faced by the ports in the meetings and assured all necessary support for the development of Ports. Mandaviya encouraged ports to implement the best practices followed worldwide in the Maritime Sector.

In case you missed the ‘Major Port Authority Bill 2020’
The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently gave approval for the new ‘Major Port Authority Bill 2020’ that will give independent decision making power to all 12 major ports in the country which will transform the ports with a corporate style management structure and the freedom to fix port charges.

On the second-day vice president of India M Vankaiah Naidu interacted with the officials. He said that India needs to develop ports at par with other global ports. A world-class infrastructure at ports is important for India to march from $2.5 trillion economy to $5 trillion. Naidu remarked that coastal community development is an essential component of port-led development. There is a need to take care of local communities by providing skills to local youth so that they grab employment opportunities.