Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Dr. M. Karunanidhi and Thiru Baalu dedicate 9th Cargo Berth of Tuticorin Port Trust to the Nation
THIRU T.R. BAALU ANNOUNCES MERGER OF 50% DA WITH BASIC PAY AND PAYMENT OF ONE-TIME LUMP-SUM ADJUSTABLE ADVANCE TO THE PORT AND DOCK WORKERS WITH EFFECT FROM 1ST JANUARY 2007
The Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Thiru T. R. Baalu announced the merger of 50% DA with Basic Pay with effect from 1st January 2007 for the Port and Dock Workers. This would be as per the guidelines issued earlier this year by the Department of Public Enterprises. Thiru Baalu also assured that the issue may be further reviewed in case of any favourable change in the Policy of the Government in future with regard to the date of effect of 50% DA merger with the Basic Pay for organizations with Industrial Dearness Allowance pattern of pay.
The announcement came when the Minister was presiding over a function in Tuticorin wherein the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr. M. Karunanidhi dedicated the 9th Cargo Berth of Tuticorin Port Trust in the service of the nation yesterday evening through video conferencing facility. This Berth has been created at a cost of Rs. 40 Crore.
The Minister also announced the payment of one-time lump-sum adjustable advance calculated @ 13.5% of the existing Basic Pay as on 1st January 2007 (before DA merger) with effect from 1st January 2007 to 30th June 2008. The amount would be paid within one month from the date of settlement and would be adjusted at the time of disbursement of arrears of Pay and Allowances arising out of next long-term wage settlement, due from 1st January 2007.
Thiru Baalu also announced that the standard wages for computation of PLR shall be raised from Rs.2,500/- p.m. to Rs.3,500/- p.m. with effect from 1st April 2006, as per the provisions contained in PLR settlement dated 10th April 2007. The orders in this regard would be obtained and issued as early as possible, the Minister assured.
Enumerating the achievements of the Shipping Sector, the Minister said that the country's Major Ports have handled 519.16 million tonnes during the year 2007-08, which is about 11.94% more than that of 2006-07 and 50% more than that of 2003-04. About 20,876 vessels were handled in the Major Ports which is 6.35% more than the previous year. Terming this performance of Indian Major Ports as a great achievement, Thiru Baalu said that the capacity of Indian Major Ports stood at 384.5 million tonnes in March 2004 and as on March 2008, the capacity stands at 532.07 million tonnes, representing a 36% growth in capacity in last four years.
Speaking on the occasion, Thiru Baalu said that taking into consideration of the target of 9% growth rate in the economy, his Ministry has planned to augment infrastructure to meet the target. The National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP), comprising a total of 387 projects - 276 for ports sector and 111 for shipping and inland water transport sectors has been launched with a total investment of Rs.100,339 crore, out of which Rs.55,804 crore is for the ports sector and the balance Rs.44,535 crore is for the shipping and inland water transport sectors.
He said that 276 projects targeted for implementation by 2011-12 consist of projects for construction of new berths and upgradation of existing berths, modernisation and procurement of new equipment, dredging and deepening of the approach channel and berth areas and rail-road connectivity projects etc. 33 projects have been completed and 130 projects are under various stages of implementation under the NMDP, the Minister said.
Referring to the developmental Plans for the Tuticorin Port, the Minister said, would be carried out under NMDP in two phases. Phase-I consists of 17 projects mainly for expanding the Port capacity at a cost of Rs. 961 crore and under Phase-II development of Outer Harbour would be undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs.4,350 crore on BOT basis. These developmental projects shall facilitate handling of more cargo and efficiency of the Port and would result in creation of direct and indirect employment opportunity to the people of Southern Districts of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Baalu added.
The Minister disclosed that the Government of India plans to contribute Rs.789.98 crore through budgetary support for the Tuticorin Port as a part of the Eleventh Five Year Plan for Ports sector (2007-12). Out of the 24 projects planned for the Tuticorin Port under the NMDP, three have already been completed, six are under progress and five are under various stages of approval or award, the Minister informed.
The Government of India has recently sanctioned another project namely deepening the channel and basin at the Tuticorin Port at a cost of Rs.538 crore to cater to 12.8 draught vessels by the port, to be completed within a period of 18 months with a budgetary support of 35% cost of project, i.e., Rs.188.30 crore.
The Minister said that with the present capacity of 20.75 million tonnes, the Tuticorin Port has handled 21.84 million tonnes and secured the 3rd place among the Indian Major Ports last year. He noted that in the last four years, including the berth inaugurated today, the port’s capacity is being augmented from 15.40 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 25.05 MTPA i.e. by nearly 63%.The cargo handled has increased by 57% from 13.68 MT in 2003-04 to 21.48 MT in 2007-08. Container traffic has increased by 77% from 2.53 lakh TEUs to 4.51 lakh TEUs.Infact this year in the first quarter itself the total traffic has grown by 18.4% over the corresponding period last year. The efficiency and productivity of the port has also gone up.The Average berth day output of container terminal has nearly doubled from 9516 tonnes per day in 2004 to 17647 tonnes per day in 2008.
For these achievements, he congratulated the Tuticorin Port Trust Management and all the stakeholders and worker and said that the performance of the Tuticorin Port in terms of cargo handling and launching of socially relevant projects as a good corporate citizen is highly praiseworthy.
Apart from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Thiru. T.R. Baalu, Tmt. Radhika Selvi, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Thiru. Vellakoil M.P. Saminathan, Tmt. P. Geetha Jeevan, Ministers of Government of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. R. Dhanushkodi Adithan, M.P., Secretary (Shipping), Chairman (TPT), Trustees, Union Leaders etc. participated in the function.
VBA/BS
(Release ID :40371)