January 22, 2021
×
Legally, the Bill is not tenable because minor ports are under the Concurrent list, says NP Ramakrishna Reddy, CEO, AP Maritime Board
Andhra Pradesh has fired the first salvo against the Indian Ports Bill drafted by the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways that seeks to regulate and control the ports owned by the State governments.
N P Ramakrishna Reddy, chief executive officer, AP Maritime Board told
BusinessLine in an interview that the draft Bill is “discriminatory” and “ultra vires the Constitution” because ports are in the Concurrent list. Excerpts from the chat.
What is the stand of A P Government on the draft Bill?
AP govt fires a shot across Centre’s bow over draft Ports Bill
Mumbai |
Updated on
January 22, 2021
P Manoj The Centre’s bid to extend its jurisdiction over ports owned by State governments with the Indian Ports Bill has come under fire from Andhra Pradesh.
The State, with the second longest coastline of 974 km, termed the draft Bill “discriminatory” and “
ultra vires the Constitution” because ports are in the Concurrent List.
“Why should there be a single regulatory authority to control all the minor ports across States? How can the Centre take over the State ports? Ports are in the Concurrent List and the draft Bill is legally untenable. Every State should boil at this Bill,” NP Ramakrishna Reddy, Chief Executive Officer, AP Maritime Board, told
The imminent transition of 11 of the 12 ports owned by the Central government and run as ‘trusts’ into ‘authorities’ will clear the decks for the biggest privatisation of cargo handling terminals operated by the State itself. This is because the ‘port authority’ formed under the proposed Major Port Authorities Bill (awaiting Rajya Sabha nod) .
Ahead of turning ‘landlords’, 11 major ports to roll out special VRS
December 30, 2020
Unions decry ‘agenda’ to dilute resistance when port authorities go for corporatisation
Eleven state-owned major port trusts have received approval from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to roll out a special voluntary retirement scheme (SVRS) as the government moves to trim flab ahead of a planned makeover of the governance structure of these entities.
The 11 major port trusts have about 25,000 employees comprising Class 1 and 2 officers and Class 3 and 4 cargo handling and non-cargo handling workers.
An employee opting for SVRS will be entitled to an ex-gratia payment equivalent to one-and-half months’ emoluments (basic pay plus DA) for each completed year of service, or the value of the emoluments that would have become payable for the balance months of service left, whichever is less.