"The state government had conducted a feasibility study on Bahuda river mouth in Ganjam district, about 40-km from here, for the project recently through a private company. But the report is yet to be submitted to the Central government", said senior Congress leader and former Union minister Chandra Sekhar Sahu.
"While the Centre has evinced interest in setting up of the port and the study report says Bahuda river mouth is an ideal place for the project, the state is not showing interest. It speaks volumes about the state government's neglect towards development work," he said.
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The Central government had decided to set up at least seven major ports in different coastal states during the 12th Plan period. The then Union minister for shipping, K Vasan had written a letter on August 17, 2011 to chief minister Naveen Patnaik, requesting him to identify suitable land for the project in Odisha.
The ministry had urged the state government to provide around 2,000 acres of land. In case a composite port-cum-ship building yard is proposed, the land requirement would be around 5000-acres, the Union minister had said in his letter.
The final pre-techno-economic feasibility report prepared by WAPCOS revealed that Bahuda river mouth would be an ideal place and the cost of setting up of the multi-purpose port was pegged at Rs 3,454-crore.
"The project would be financially viable with standard charges levied on cargo handling. The internal rate of return would be around 16.75 per cent," Sahu said quoting the report prepared by WAPCOS.
He urged the state government to submit the project report to the Central government at the earliest.
The integrated port complex together with the ship building facility has the potential to generate employment for around 7000 people of the area, Sahu said.