New Delhi (SunstarTV Bureau): Central government has approved a ₹3,000 crore project to turn Paradip into a world-class port setting up a dock, today.
The decision to set up a western dock was taken by the Union Cabinet in its meeting held on Wednesday, informed Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya.
“The Cabinet has approved setting up of Western dock at Paradip port at a cost of ₹3,000 crore which will transform the port into a world-class and modern port. ….The decision has been taken with a futuristic approach as Prime Minister has been laying emphasis on the development of eastern states,” Mandaviya said during the press conference after the Cabinet meeting.
Paradip port in Odisha is one of the 12 major ports under the control of the Centre.
Mandaviya said that the port handles the cargo of about 115 MT which is likely to increase substantially to about 400 MT by 2030 and the decision to set up western dock was taken to attract large vessels with a capacity of handling 1.5 tonne cargo.
He said the port after the project can easily handle very large vessels for which 18 metre draft is required and these ships can dock here resulting in reduction in logistics cost.
The minister said this was the need of the hour to boost Export-Import (EXIM) trade in the current global competitive environment and will provide employment to lakhs of people.
He said based on the Prime Minister’s stress on ‘waste to best’, it has also been decided to sell the dredging material and dredging material worth ₹86 crore have already been sold.
