VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has opposed the Indian Ports Bill 2020, proposed by the central government as the bill would deprive the states of their major source of revenue.
The state government had prepared a note on the new bill which was sent to the central government for consideration.
The state said that AP is one of the champion states that could propel the Indian economy forward. It is also a resource rich state with access to airports and seaports. and thus has huge potential to promote exports from the state.
The state further sought to remind the Centre that it ‘is developing three seaports at Bhavanapadu, Machilipatnam and Ramayapatnam’.
The state further said that fisheries sector contributes to 1.61 per cent of global and 24 per cent of national fish production. It is also ranked first in total fish production and shrimp production in the country, the document said.
The government said that 65 per cent of cultured shrimp produced in the country is from AP which has 90 processing units.
Referring to the bill, the state government said that it provides for constitution of a Maritime Port Regulatory Authority which will be vested with the powers or regulated by the central government. This would mean that the Centre wants to take “away the powers of the state maritime boards/state governments.”
The “state ports being the main drivers of the state economy, the states will be deprived of the right of driving the economy, if the control of the state ports is taken away. It is the state governments which provide the land and infrastructure for development of the minor ports,” the state government said.
However, AP has placed an alternative to the present draft bill suggesting that the central government “may at least consider exempting the existing operational ports and the ports which are under construction in the maritime states.
