Ports: Significance and Types
A port offers facility for receiving ships and transferring cargo.
Normally they are built at the edge of river, ocean, sea or lake. Ports
have equipments which handles cargo. Some of them are cranes and
forklifts, which may be provided by individuals or public body. The use
of the term Port also plays an important role while explaining the
utility of ports. For example, the term port is used for ports which
handles ocean going vessels, and the term river port means facilities
which handle river traffic. The ports on lakes which have access to sea
or ocean are called Inland Port. Ports, also plays an important role in
the development of industries. Some of the industries are built near
ports so that they can easily access the raw materials coming from other
part of the country. Similarly they are also useful in sending goods
from one part of the country to another part.
Ports in India
In India there are 11 major ports and 150 minor ports. The development
and management is the responsibility of the respective port trustees
under the central government while the responsibility of administering
the minor ports is in the hands of the state government. Some of the
major ports of India are Kandla, Mumbai, Nhava, Sheva, Marmagao, New
Mangalore, Kochi, Vizag, Chennai, and Kokata - Haldia etc. It is the
major ports, which handles most of the traffics, nearly 85%.
Steps to Improve
Ports The five year plans have shown that Port capacity needs to be
increased from the present 215 million tonnes to 425 million tonnes. The
government is also trying its best to increase port capacity. It has
finalized a joint venture scheme formation between the major port and
minor foreign ports. For this an amendment in the Major Port Trusts Act
has also been carried out. The government has approved an expenditure of
Rs 4427 Crore and 16 private sector projects. The government has also
liberalized entry norms so that there can be private participation of
Foreign Ports.
