New Delhi: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Wednesday urged the Union government to look into the infrastructure development of Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and also urged the government to name Paradip Port after former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik.
Speaking in the Upper House on the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020, BJD MP Subhash Singh said that there is no infrastructure development at Paradip Port.
“Its annual profit is more than Rs 700 crore but there is no master plan. Casual and contractual workers are facing serious crisis. They do not have any regular employment. This is very unfortunate. There is a hospital in Paradip which is managed by the PPT. There has been no development of the port for about 30 years. Where has the profit gone? What about the workers’ interests,” said Singh.
Speaking on the Bill, the BJD MP said that there is no mention about the purpose for which the CSR fund will be utilised. In the new Bill, there is confusion about the CSR fund. It says, “Corporate Social Responsibility and development of infrastructure by Board authorities are being introduced,” Singh mentioned.
The BJD also suggested that while implementing the PPP model in the ports, healthy competition should have been ensured because private entities were monopolising the market.
Supporting the Bill, the BJD MP urged the government to name the Paradip Port after the former chief minister of Odisha Biju Patnaik.