LIVE MINT: New
Delhi : Union shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said India is keen
to develop the Pyara port in Patuakhali district of Bangladesh.
-11.4.2016 :
-11.4.2016 :
The external affairs ministries of
both countries have already held a preliminary round of talks in this aspect,
Gadkari said. A shipping ministry delegation led by a joint secretary will
visit Bangladesh
next week to study the site and prepare a detailed project report.
Since the government came to power,
India
has started focusing a lot on the port sector and by 26 May, contracts worthRs.60,000 crore would be awarded in the shipping and ports
sector, Gadkari said. He was addressing media ahead of the Maritime India
Summit to be held in Mumbai on 14-16 April.
The minister said 19 CEOs from top
global shipping companies and 17 CEOs from India have confirmed their
participation at the summit, adding he was hoping the event would see major
collaborations. The minister said the summit will aim to attract potential
investors to the vast opportunities in India ’s maritime sector.
In 2015, Indian ports had handling
capacity of 1,500 MTPA. By 2035, the capacity would be doubled with planned
government investments, he said. Besides, industrial clusters will be created
along the coast and fisheries promoted. He said a Port Rail Connectivity Corp.
had been created with the responsibility of connecting industrial hubs to
various ports by rail lines.
While answering questions, the
minister said adequate measures will be taken to ensure the security of the
facilities created along India ’s
coastline from any terrorist threats. Efforts will be also taken to see to it
that the environmental concerns are addressed while development is not impeded.