No foreign company has bulk dredging operations in India: Baalu

New Delhi, Mar 9 (UNI) Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T R Baalu today denied in the Rajya Sabha that foreign cartels and consortia of dredging companies were cornering the bulk of dredging operations in India with exhorbitant rates and thereby maintaining their monopoly.

Mr Baalu made it clear that the present dredging policy provides for finalisation of dredging contracts by all major ports, except the Kolkata Port, through open tender system.

Foreign dredging companies can also participate in the tender process. However, to ensure a level playing field, the policy inter-alia provides the right of first refusal to Indian companies provided their bid is within 10 per cent of the lowest offer.

While this ensures availability of adequate dredging capacity to meet the increasing requirements of ports, it also ensures improvement in dredging services and more competitive rate for the users, the Minister said.

On models for highway safety, he said there is no Single Model on road safety adopted by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), it follows safety requirements at various stages such as Design, Construction and Maintenance (post construction) to ensure Highway Safety.

Replying on the improvement in the port and shipping sector, Mr Baalu said that the Government has been setting targets for exports.

No targets are set for imports.

In 2004, a Foreign Trade Policy (2004-05) was announced by the Government with the aim to double exports during the next 5 years and an export target of 150 billion US dollars has been set to achieve by 2008-09.

Considering that most of India's EXIM trade is carried out through the sea route, the Government continuously endeavours to improve the port and shipping infrastructure in the country.

Under the National Maritime Development Programme, a total of 387 projects with an investment of Rs 100,339 crore covering the entire gamut of activities in the major ports, shipping and Inland Water Transport (IWT) have been identified for implementation, comprising 276 project pertaining to major ports involving investment of Rs 55,804 crore and 111 projects pertaining to shipping and IWT sectors involving an investment of Rs 44,535 crore, he said.

Mr Baalu further informed that the projects in major ports are planned to be taken up over a period upto 2011-12 and the projects in Shipping and IWT sectors to be taken up over a period upto 2024-35 and the programme will be implemented through Public-Private Partnership in phases.

UNI BBS RA ND1446