Statesman Centre commits to development of Paradip port
The central government is committed to take all possible steps for development of Paradip port and has decided tosetupmedical college, super-specialty hospitalhere for the poor sections of people, workers and others, said union minister of shipping, road transport and National Highway Nitin Gadkari while inaugurating the Southern Oil Jetty on Friday.
The Southern Oil Jetty has been constructed at a cost of Rs.811 crore to cater to requirements of oil refinery project of IOCL. It will enable Paradip Oil Refinery to import crude oil and export of products.
Over 212 vessels can be loaded from the South Jetty per year. Addressing the gathering, Gadkari said the “state government should provide required land for setting up medical college, hospitals, educational institutions, drinking water projects and improvement of drainage system in Paradip”.
He has asked the authorities of Paradip Port Trust to prepare master plan for implementation of these projects.
Effluent and polluted waterwould not be released to sea so plan development is required to make this city as clean city. There should be no interference from politicians in developmental works, he noted.
He also highlighted about the progressof inland waterway linking Kalinganagar industrial area and eventuallyTalcher to Paradipand Dhamara ports.
Gadkari said the union governmenthas committed tomakemajor ports of our country at par with international operating standards. Port capacity has to be increased, he added.
In charge chairman of PPT, MT Krishna Babu informed “PPT has all facilities including land facilities so we committed for development of its infrastructure. We have targeted to reach traffic record 100 million tons by 2018. PPT achieved an all-time high traffic throughput of 71.01 million tonnes during the year 2014-15, as against the previous year’s traffic of 68 million tonnes, exhibiting a growth of 4.42 percent year-on-year.
Union Minister for petroleum and natural gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, State Minister for excise and cooperation Damodar Rout, local MP Kulamani Samal and others delivered the speeches on the occasion. B Ashok, Chairman, Indian Oil, Sanjiv Singh, Director (Refineries), Indian Oil, Ramjee Ram, Executive Director, Paradip Refinery were present on this occasion.
Earlier, Gadakari reviewed the PPT developmental activities and also interacted with trade union leaders, stevedores and others in Paradip.
He also dedicated to the nation draught enhancement in central Dock Multi Commodity Berth (MCB) to 14.5 meters on this occasion.
He laid the foundation stone of dust barrier system under environment management programme. On the other hand, local Congress leaders demanded that the floating liquefied natural gas terminal should not be shiifted from Paradip to Kakinada port.
It may be recalled that GAIL (India) and Paradip Port Trust, signed a memorandum of understanding for setting up an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Paradip Port at an estimated cost of Rs.3,108 crore in 2013 so there is uncertainty of this project.
https://www.thestatesman.com/news/odisha/centre-commits-to-development-of-paradip-port/75057.html
