Tender for Machilipatnam under finalisation: Minister

Vijayawada, Apr 6 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today said the tenders were under finalisation for the development of Machilipatnam Port.

Talking to newspersons here, he said bids will be opened on April 23 and the State Government will take a final decision on the allotment.

Mr Ramesh said, if there is any shortfall in finance, the Central Government would come forward for help.

He also said the Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI) should also come forward and initiate measures to develop the port.

Andhra Pradesh accounted of 40 per cent of India's marine product exports so it can be developed as means of more employment generation,farmers were mostly depending on the marine products he added .

Mr Ramesh said the District Collector will prepare a three-year plan at a cost of Rs 40 crore to expand infrastructure for testing and providing technicial assistance for shrimp and prawn ponds.

He further added the Centre has no objection, if the MPs of their respective constituencies agreed to shift the Auto Cluser development project from here to Machilipatnam.

Fifty-lakh new jobs will be created in the next five years in handlooms, handicrafts, horticulture, textiles, marine products and leather sectors, he added.

Talking on Office of Profit issue, Mr Ramesh said he stuck to his decision and submitted resignation as a member of National Advisory council(NAC). though it was not an Office of Profit.

He said Sonia Gandhi's resignation as Chairperson of the NAC will not come under the Office of Profit, as she does not gets salary, nor any staff is allotted to her.

Mr Reddy would be the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for the next eight years, he added.

UNI CS CH HT1745