New Delhi: The Indian government has approved a new scheme for providing support to major ports for the creation of suitable infrastructure to support coastal shipping.
Financial assistance is given under the scheme in the form of grant-in-aid for the construction or upgradation of coastal berths, and capital dredging for deepening of coastal berths and navigational channels. In addition, priority berthing as well as discount on port charges are provided for coastal vessels at the country’s 12 state-owned major ports.
“In both major and non-major ports, private investment is brought in under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode for developing port infrastructure,” said minister of state for shipping Pon Radhakrishnan.
“In major ports, during the last two years (fiscal 2012-13 and 2013-14), 26 projects were awarded under the PPP mode, entailing an investment of INR154.84bn ($2.48bn).”
