The power to regulate smaller ports should rest with the states: ministers

Industry and Trade Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy has suggested that states’ maritime boards should be given the powers of a Maritime Port Regulatory Authority (MPRA), as is the case with large ports.

Attending Thursday’s virtual meeting of the Maritime State Development Council, he pointed out that the 2020 draft Indian Ports Bill provides for the establishment of a single MPRA for all smaller ports, while there are 13 ports regulators for as many large ports under the Major Ports Regulatory Authority Act, 2020. “That’s discriminatory,” he said.

Mr Goutham Reddy said the Andhra Pradesh government’s legal department was still reviewing the law and that regulation of smaller ports could not be done through the center.

The power to regulate the smaller ports should rest with the states, since the subject was included in the simultaneous list.

‘Existing facilities excluded’

If the central government intended to pass the bill despite objections raised by the states, it should consider exempting the existing operating ports and ports under construction in the maritime states, Goutham Reddy appealed.

The minister went on to say that AP is developing three ports in Bhavanapadu, Machilipatnam and Ramayapatnam to capture the state’s growth potential in the maritime sector.

In addition, emphasis was placed on the development of the fisheries sector, where AP was the first in the country, accounting for 24% of national production. AP contributes 1.61% of world production.

Mr Goutham Reddy said AP looks forward to better road and rail links with the seaports of Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam and Kakinada and is grateful to the Department of Roads and Highways for approving 32 road projects.

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