Orissa has a huge potential as far as export is concerned. It has the 13th rank at the national level, I believe it can become one of the top six states of the country
Rita Teaotia | Union Commerce Secretary
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: Paradip Port will have a dedicated container handling facility within six months, said Union commerce secretary Rita Teaotia while meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here Thursday.
The Container Corporation of India Limited (Concor), a Central public sector undertaking (PSU), would set up the facility on the port premises. The facility would come up on 11-acre land at the largest port of Orissa, said Teaotia, who was on a visit to the state with a 10-member team.
The facility would have two warehouses of about 3,000 sq metres area and open stacking and cargo working area with rail connectivity, said sources.
At the meeting, Patnaik laid stress on air cargo complex and cargo clearance facilities at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) along with four multi-modal logistic parks approved by the state government.
“Orissa has a lot of potential in export of marine, handlooms, agricultural and engineering products apart from spice and chemicals. The concerned export development boards should open their branches in the state,” said the Chief Minister.
He also sought the intervention of Commerce Ministry in subsidising export of steel, aluminium and garments which can provide a boost to these industries in the state.
The state has recorded an impressive growth in the past few years and eyes a double-digit growth in the coming years. Cooperation from the Centre was needed to achieve the growth target, the CM added.
Briefing the media here, Teaotia said, “Orissa has a huge potential as far as export is concerned. It is in 13th rank at national level, I believe it can rise through the ranks to become one of the top six states of the country.”
She also attended a high-level meeting with state government officials in the presence of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi.
Padhi said, “We have apprised the team of the need for establishing container terminal facility in ports without which exporters from Orissa are being constrained to export containerised products through the ports of Vizag, Haldia, Kolkata and others. Our state has three operational ports at Paradip, Dhamara and Gopalpur wherein container terminal facility can be developed.”
The team was also requested to take up the issues relating to setting up of a pre-shipment toasting laboratory for marine products by Marine Product Export Development Authority at Bhubaneswar. Presently, state exporters depend largely on laboratories in other states.
