The Orissa government, which has lined up several port projects, will set up the Orissa Maritime Board (OMB) to regulate related activities. “The draft bill for the OMB is ready and it will be tabled in the coming monsoon session of the state Assembly,” a senior state government told FE.
According to him, the state law department has already vetted the draft bill. Once approved by the state legislature, it will be sent to the Centre for its approval, he said.
The OMB, in fact, is being constituted following the advice of the Maritime States Development Council (MSDC), headed by the Union shipping minister. The council has recommended all coastal states to have maritime boards.
The OMB will be vested with powers to plan, direct and implement maritime developments in the state. The board, besides acting as a regulatory body, will take steps to identify the potential sites and develop those to attract private investment.
Orissa has identified 13 sites along its coastlines for development of various ports. The state has already lined up investments to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore in this sector. Of these sites, the government has already signed concessional agreements
(CAs) with Tata Steel-L&T and Orissa Stevedors Ltd for the Dhamra and Gopalpur ports, respectively. It has also signed MoUs with Creative Infrastructure and Navayuga Group for development of ports in Kirtania and Astaranga, respectively.
Posco-India is proposing to set up a captive port at Jatadhari on the mouth of the Mahanadi river near Paradip, while ArcelorMittal has evinced interest in developing a port in Barunei. Essel Mines & Industries of Aditya Birla group has shown its interest on the Chudamani site. The proposed ports will attract investments to the tune of Rs 15,000 crore.
Interestingly, JSW has identified a new site (14th), Bichitrapur, on the Orissa coast for development of a port. The site, which is on the other side of the Subarnarekha, is located north of the proposed Kirtania port, almost on the Orissa-West Bengal border. The site is 250km away from the company?s proposed 10 million tonne plant at Salboni in West Bengal.