The council is likely to make a beginning towards optimum utilisation of financial and physical resources through integrated planning though some port representatives ruled out any concrete decisions.

A preliminary meeting of the state and Central officials, besides chairmen of major port trusts, would be held on Tuesday to prepare the groundwork for the council's meeting. Political representatives are likely to give a final shape to the proposals the next day.

The council headed by Union minister of surface transport Nitish Kumar, has 10 other members comprising ministers, in charge of ports from maritime states and union territory of Pondicherry, Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar and the administrator of Daman and Diu.

This is the second meeting of the maritime council since its inception. The first meeting was held inChennai in November 1997. Though the council was required to hold annual sessions, it is meeting after a gap of almost two years. According to sources, the meeting was postponed several times due to either non-availability of former minister M Thambi Durai or political instability.

In its meeting, the council would discuss port legislation based on a report of a committee set up for the purpose. The draft legislation, which was submitted four months back, was formulated to update the Indian Ports Act of 1908. The Act mainly deals with safety aspects of port operations.

The meeting would also take up Port Vision 2020 report submitted by RITES Ltd last year. The five-volume report was circulated among various ports.The issue of joint venture partnership between minor and major ports would also be discussed. At present, though the government has given clearance for such joint ventures, no proposal for such partnership has been mooted.

The meeting would also chalk out details of proposed representation ofministry of surface transport in minor ports and of minor ports in trusts of major ports. Minor ports have already invited ministry officials for rendering advisory and technical services.

Central assistance to maritime states for port development also figures on the agenda of the meeting. Besides, the council is likely to work out details of training of minor port officials at the Chennai-based National Institute of Port Management and the Calcutta-based Indian Institute of Port Management.

The maritime council was formed with a view to have a planned development of ports in the country. In number of instances, minor ports, developed by states, have eaten into the traffic of major ports making business unviable. The Central government could not do much about it since port is a state subject. The council is intended to work as an umbrella organisation for all the ports.