Lok Sabha Question No. 4193 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-19
Subject: Infrastructure at Ports
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Shrirang Appa Barne, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sudheer Gupta

## GOVERNIVIENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 4193

TO BE ANSWERED  ON 1gTH MARCH,2O2O

## INFRASTRUCTURE  AT PORTS

4193. SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK,

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

Will the Minister  of SHIPPING be pleased to state .

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- (a) whether the Government  proposes to create a world class environment friendly  infrastructure at ports to make lndia USD 5 trillion economy by 2024:
- (b) if so, the details thereof  and the steps taken/being  taken by the Government in this direction;
- (c) whether a three day 'Chintan Baithak'of  chairpersons  and administrators  of ports has been conducted by the Government;
- (e) whether the Government  has devised  any plan to harness  lndia's vast coast for the sustainable growth and development of the shipping industry and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the issues discussed therein along with the outcome of the same;
- (f) the other steps taken by the Government  to develop all lndian ports at par with other global ports  across the world?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE) FOR SHIPPING (SHRI MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

(a)&(b) The Ministry is striving  hard towards making its contribution  in achieving the target of USD 5 trillion economy set by the Government. ln this regard, 58 projects  involving  a cost of Rs. 49950 crore have been identified  as part of National lnfrastructure  Pipeline (NlP) for infrastructure  augmentation and development at major ports upto FY 2025.

(c)&(d) Yes. Three days 'Chintan Baithak' was held from 28th February to 1't March,2020 at Mahabalipuram. ln the'Chintan  Baithak', detailed deliberations on

various matters relating to improving the performance  of the Major Ports, strengthening  of Major Ports to directly  compete  with private or non-major  ports, port modernisation,  implementing  e-governance  to make ports faceless and paperless,  developing lndia as  'trans-shipment  hub'and Vision-2030  for Maritime Sector  were held.

- (e) ln order to increase tonnage capacity of lndian shipping  industry, Government has taken a number of steps. These include (i) Providing  lndian shipping industry cargo support through  Right of First Refusal  (ii) Reducing GST from lloh to 5o/o on bunker fuel used in lndian flag vessels  (iii) Allowing carriage  of coastal cargo from one lndian port to another lndian port via foreign ports in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh  (iv) Removing licencing requirement  for chartering of foreign registered  ships by ciiizens of lndia, companies incorporated  in lndia and Registered Societies  to encourage  coastal  movement  of agriculture and other commodities,  fertilizer, EXIM Transshipment  Containers  and Empty containers (v) Bringing parity in the tax regime of lndian seafarers employed  on lndian flag ships vis-a vis those on foreign flag ships (vi) Allowing shipping enterprises based in lndia to acquire ships abroad and flag them in the country of their convenience (vii) Allowing use of imported Containers for carrying of domestic  cargo and allowing use of locally manufactured  or domesticated  containers  conforming to the specifications  from the lnternational  Organization  (lSO),  for transportation  of EXIM cargo.
- (0  ln the past four-five years, the government  has given a strong push  to port modernisation,  mechanisation  and digitalisation,  with a number of ease of doing business initiatives. The revamped  port community  system (PCS), PCSlx, is expected to connect and provide  real{ime  information  to stakeholders  on a single platform. Other key measures for port modernisation include the introduction  of web-based e-forms, direct  port delivery and direct  port entry, installation  of container  scanners  and radio frequency  identification-based  systems  for gate automation,  digitalisation  of land records and launch  of a single-window  interface for facilitating trade.