The government awarded 10 port projects worth Rs 9,376.43 crore under the public private partnership (PPP) mode in the last fiscal ended March 31, 2015, Parliament was informed today.
These 10 projects will add a capacity of 95.11 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), according to the data presented by Minister of State for Shipping P Radhakrishnan in the Rajya Sabha.
In 2013-14, the government had awarded port projects worth Rs 13,208.83 crore under the PPP mode for a capacity expansion of 137.65 MTPA, the data showed.
The minister informed the House that corporate/private sector does not have complete flexibility in designing the scheme or programme for the PPP project.
"The broad contours of the port projects are formulated by the Major Port Authorities within which the selected PPP operator implements and operates the project," he added.
PPP projects have been implemented in the port sector since 1996, Radhakrishnan said.
To facilitate investments in port projects, government has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment under the automatic route for port development projects, he added.
Besides, bidding documents such as RFQ, RFP and Concession Agreement have been standardised and the port sector has been granted infrastructure status, the minister said.
