KOCHI: Claiming that profit from the ports was increasing in each passing year, Union Shipping, Road Transpor Minister Nitin Gadkari today said that the Government is expecting a profit of Rs 7000 crore in the next year.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for the International Ship Repairing Facility at Wellington Island, near here, he said the profit from the port was increasing in each year after the BJP-led NDA government came to power.
The profit was increased from Rs 3000 crore to Rs 5000 crore in three years and the government was expecting a profit of Rs 7000 core in 2018. The country could not wipe out poverty without adopting new technologies and development of industries in the country, he said, adding ”without development we cannot have industries, without industries we cannot have employment and without employment we cannot eradicate poverty.”
Hinting that change of mind set was necessary in making profit in business, the Minister asked without capital investment how it could be possible to increase profit from business?
Regarding the liability of the Cochin Port Trust, the Minister asked the state government to complete the work of laying GAIL pipe line at the earliest. Once the work was completed, the port trust would be able to earn Rs 100 crore every year, which would ultimately help the CPT to overcome their present liabilities.
Since there were huge demand of Human Resources in ship repairing units in foreign countries, the CPT should also take steps to impart training to youths in this field, he suggested.
Justifying the process of capital mobilisation entering capital market for the development of National Highways in the country, he said his department was not taking money from foreign countries, instead collecting fund through capital market from common people like poor labourers, Government servants and not from big businessmen, as its benefit would ultimately reach them itself.
Promising that the Centre was ready to help and pump in as much as fund required for the state of Kerala, he said the centre had already allocated huge package to the state, including Rs 500 crore from Defence to the Cochin Ship Yard along with the repairing unit here, which would help to generate 6000 jobs, including 3000 indirectly in the state.
Mr Gadkari also disclosed that on development of roads in the country, Kerala was at the bottom while compared to other states in the country. The centre was ready to give as much as money the state wanted, but the main hurdle was land acquisition problem.
He expressed the hope that the new Government would come out solutions to overcome this situation, he added.
The Minister also suggested to exploit the vast sea and backwaters in the state to promote tourism and encourage sea plane in the state.
For the developmental activities it was required strong political and appropriate will, he said adding that decisions should be taken as early as possible. Currently before taking off any major projects, lot of debates, committees and sub-committees were constituted and the result was delaying the projects. This should be avoided, he said.
The Minister also suggested the Cochin Ship Yard to extent its activities to other parts of the country.
Kerala Industries Minister A C Moiden, former Union Minister and Senior Congress leader Prof K V Thomas and others were present on the occasion. (AGENCIES)
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