Shipping Ministry invites feedback on New Land Policy for Major Ports.

An official press release said here today that the new policy would be finalised after 30 days after taking into consideratin the inputs received within this period.

According to the release, around 95% of India’s foreign trade by volume and 70% by value are transported through sea. The 12 major ports account for 75% of the total cargo by volume handled at Indian ports.

The release said this underlined the importance of sustaining the growth and development of the Major Ports for their contribution to the Indian economy.

With this objective in mind and also the adverse impact of the global economic downturn and rapid growth of minor ports on the traffic at the major ports, the Government felt that there was need to review the extant policies and suggest mid-term corrections, wherever necessary, in various policies governing them, to sustain and improve their efficiency,

The release said that it was observed that the land policy was one of the most significant policy frameworks guiding the overall functioning of the port sector. In all major ports the world over, land has been leveraged for optimizing the throughput and increasing revenue of ports. It is an established practice globally for ports to allot land for carrying out economic activity including establishing industry to ensure captive cargo to the port, thereby enhancing the sustainability of that port.

Port lands have also been used to set up Special Economic Zones (SEZ) aimed at encouraging industrial development in and around the port. Other than the above, ports are generally expected to utilize their land, with port-related activities being given the first priority and activities incidental to the port being treated as secondary in nature. Hence, optimum utilization of land is a matter of continuing importance to all ports.

The release said the draft policy sets out the terms to be followed by the Port Trusts for allotment of port land. It is applicable for all Major Port Trusts except for land relating to Gandhidham Township of Kandla Port Trust. This policy for land allotment would be applicable to all BOT projects also.

According to the Land Allotment Policy, every major port shall have a land use plan covering the entire land owned and/or managed by the port. Land can be allotted either on licence or lease basis as per land use plan/zoning. The policy details the procedure to be followed in case of fresh allotments, licences, leases, and renewals of land, both within and outside the Customs Zone, the release added.

Source : netindian.in