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Lok Sabha
Organisations representing the interests of Port Labour including the Water Transport Workers’ Federation of India have been representing from time to time against privatization of port services as well as handling over of existing container terminals, cargo berths, etc. to multinational companies and also permitting them to construct container terminals and cargo berths on Build, Operate and Transfer basis which, according to them, adversely affect the interests of Port and Dock Workers.
There is no indiscriminate privatization of major ports. The Government has been allowing participation of the private sector including foreign companies in development and operations in major ports, on a case to case basis which is generally limited to those areas of operations which are commercial in nature. The guidelines on private sector participation issued by the Government ensure that the interests of the existing labour in major ports are not affected adversely on account of such participation. Such participation which is within the existing statutory framework has helped in mobilization of the much needed resources for expansion of the major ports and in improving their efficiency and productivity. The Government is of the considered view that the potential which exists for flow of private investment in port sector needs to be fully tapped.
This information was given in the Lok Sabha today in a written reply by the Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Shri T.R. Baalu.
VBA/BS
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