Bill proposing full autonomy for ports approved: Minister

The government has approved a draft bill to empower 12 major ports in India by providing them full autonomy in decision-making for greater efficiency, Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Lal Mandaviya said on Tuesday.

Once enacted, the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016, would replace the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, he said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

The new bill proposes to constitute a Board of Port Authority for each major port -- in place of the Board of Trustees -- which would have the power to use its property, assets and funds "in such manner and for such purposes as it may deem fit for the benefit of the major ports", an official statement said.

The bill also empowers the ports to enter into and perform any contract "necessary for the performance of its functions", to make regulations for the purposes of operation, development and planning, and to raise loans and issue securities.

It also proposes to constitute an Adjudicatory Board for resolving disputes among major ports, Public-Private Partnership concessionaires and captive users, the statement added.

--IANS

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