Paradip (Odisha) : Pradip Port Trust (PPT) Friday signed an MoU with Indian Port, Rail & Ropeway Corporation Ltd. (IPRCL) for upgradation and modernisation of Paradeep Fishing Harbour at a cost of Rs 99.75 crores.
PPT chairman, P.L. Haranadh, and IPRCL MD Anil Kumar Gupta signed the MoU documents at a function organised by the ministry of ports, shipping & waterways to commomorate the successful seven years of Sagarmala programmes at Delhi.
The Paradip Fishery Harbour is located on the right bank of River Mahanadi 2 KM off stream of river mouth in Odisha. The Fishery Harbour spreads over an area of 39 acres, of which the basin area is 21 acres. Currently, the Fishery Harbour is being used by more than 740 fishing vessels. The existing facilities are not upto international standards in terms of washing, sorting, packing and loading the fish to trucks and maintaining harbour clean.
The event to commemorate successful seven years of Sagarmala program is aimed to showcase the exemplary performance, the flagship program of ministry has achieved during the last 7 years. The mobile application of Sagarmala was launched by union minister Sarbananda Sonowal in the presence minister of state, Shripad Naik; minister of state, Shantanu Thakur; secretary, Dr. Sanjeev Ranjan and other senior officials and dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion Sarbananda Sonowal said the Sagarmala program was launched with the objective to improve ports’ efficiency. He said Quality service delivery has made Turnaround Time (containers) at Ports come down to 26.58 hours from 44.70 hours in 2013-14
The minister said the report card of ministry showcases 802 projects worth Rs. 5.48 lakh Crore under the Sagarmala program targeted to be executed by 2035 out of which 194 projects worth Rs. 99,000 Crore have been completed. A total of 29 projects worth Rs. 45,000 Crore have been successfully implemented under PPP model, thus, reducing the financial burden on the exchequer. Further, there are 218 projects worth Rs. 2.12 lakh Crore under construction and expected to be completed in 2 years’ time. This apart, 390 projects worth Rs. 2.37 lakh Crore are under development pipeline.
In order to meet the international standards, thereby increasing export volume, the Govt. of India approved for upgradation and modernization of Fishery Harbour at Paradip at an estimated cost of Rs.99.75 crores with 100% central financial assistance under Central Sector Scheme Component of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Samapada Yojana (PMMSY). Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways under Sagarmala contributing 50% of the Project cost and remaining 50% of the cost of the project is borne by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Govt. of India. The Paradip Port Authority will be implementing the project and grant for this project shall be released to the Paradip Port Authority in installments under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Samapada Yojana (PMMSY).
Under this up-gradation project, the entire existing facilities will be removed and new facilities such as Fishing Auction Hall with A.C. and pressure washers, quay length, ice crushing units, markets, improved roads, covered parking areas, dormitory, public convenience, drinking water with RO facilities etc. will be created. Further, up gradation through automation of landing quay and Auction Hall to minimize human handling of fish, efficient disposal of liquid and solid waste by providing effluent treatment plant, provision of toxic and non-toxic waste receptacles will be in place. The erection of the entire upgradation/modernization shall be completed within a period of 18 months.
