OREANDA-NEWS. December 29, 2012. In a bid to augment the capacity of major ports, the Government today approved a proposal for licensing of land for development of projects under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in these ports, Daily Shipping Times reported.

“The Union Cabinet today approved a proposal of the Ministry of Shipping for licensing of land to the concessionaires for seven projects taken up in the PPP mode,” the Finance Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram said.

These projects have been taken up in terms of the extant policy of the Government of India to pursue maritime development projects under the PPP mode, he said.

Chidambaram added that the step will facilitate the Ministry of Shipping in “augmenting the capacity of ports expeditiously through PPP and will also bring about efficiency in operations at major ports which will benefit trade and the economy as a whole.”

India has 12 major ports Kandla, Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Marmagao, New Mangalore, Kochi, Tuticorin, Chennai, Ennore, Vishakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata-Haldia.