Initially, the draft Indian Ports Bill, 2020 was circulated first time on 02.07.2020 for comments of all stakeholders viz. State Governments, Union Territories, State Maritime Boards (SMBs) and major ports. The Bill was circulated second time on 10.12.2020 to all stakeholders for their comments and all central line Ministries for Inter-Ministerial Consultations (IMC) and simultaneously hosted on the website of this Ministry for public consultations.

After extensively examining all the inputs received from all stakeholders and central line Ministries and suitably incorporating them in the draft Bill, the present draft Indian Ports Bill, 2021 was circulated on 10^th June, 2021 for stakeholders’ comments, prior to the 18^th meeting of Maritime States Development Council (MSDC) scheduled on 24^th June 2021. Comments of some of the State Governments are still awaited. The proposed legislation is still under consultative stage.

The draft Indian Ports Bill, 2021 proposes to leave the management and administration of the major ports to the Board of Major Port Authority for each port, constituted by the Major Ports Authorities Act, 2021 and to State Maritime Boards for the management and administration of all non-major ports in each State/UT. This is clearly reflected in the clauses of the draft Indian Ports Bill, 2021 which require every coastal State and Union Territory to constitute a State Maritime Board, if it does not already exist through State statutes and, which empower the said State Maritime Boards with uniform powers and functions including planning, development, supervisory, administrative and adjudicatory powers and functions.

This information was given by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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MSJP/MS