Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari allays fears, says ports’ corporatization won’t hit jobs

NEW DELHI: There will be no loss of jobs due to government's move to corporatize the major ports, shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday while adding that the government will bring amendments to the law on major ports. He said that there is no plan to private ports at any cost.

Last week in his budget speech finance minister Arun Jaitley had said that ports in public sector will be encouraged to corporatize and become companies under the Company's Act. Soon after there were reports of trade unions fearing loss of jobs under alibi of rightsizing and downsizing the major ports.

Gadkari said the intentions behind corporatizing major ports are to make them better, competitive and modernized ones. "We will ensure there is no job cut in ports while pushing such reform," the minister said.

He added the focus of Narendra Modi government is to focus more on use of waterways and sea route for transportation of cargo and goods within the country to reduce congestion on road and pollution as well. Speaking on the occasion of Kamarajar Port Limited (erstwhile Ennore Port Limited) signing an agreement with Toyota Kirloskar Motor for export of automobile units through the port Gadkari asked other major automobile manufacturers to use the seas route to transport their products.

He added that the Roll on Roll off (RORO) service could be started between Chennai and Mundhra port. "Cars manufactured in southern India can come straight to Mundhra Port and from there these can be transported by road to north India. Manufacturers from north can also do the same. You save transport cost and also help the environment," Gadkari said.