Orissa Private Ports- MoUs opaque?

Smelling corruption in the process of Orissa government's MoU with private parties for setting up about a dozen minor ports, an organisation fighting against corruption sought a CBI probe into the matter.

In a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Transparency International, India (TII) Board Member Biswajit Mohanty alleged that Orissa government had signed concession agreements with private developers for ports without going through open bidding process.

"I find a woeful and complete lack of transparency in the process followed by the commerce and transport department in selection of bidders for development of ports by the private sector. No eligibility criteria as to minimum turnover, financial worth, years of business experience in port development has been announced by government or mentioned in the port policy," Mohanty claimed in the letter.

When contacted, commerce and transport minister Sanjeev Sahoo claimed that utmost transparency had been maintained in the process."There are multiple applications for each port project. We consider them basing on their feasibility report prepared by a central undertaking," Sahoo told PTI rejecting demand of a CBI probe into the matter.

Sahoo said the state government had invited international bidding for Gopalpur Port, but it was following the state's port policy for setting up new minor ports.Orissa government has recently signed an MOU with Essel Mining and Industries for development of the Chudamani port, while it has already handed over two ports, Subarnarekha mouth and Astaranga to Creative Port Development Pvt Ltd and Navayuga Engineering Co Ltd respectively, Mohanty said.

Now there are 25 applicants who desire to develop 8 ports at Bichitrapur, Bahabalpur, Chandipur, Inchuri, Barunei Muhan, Baliharchandi, Palur and Bauda Muhan.

Source: IBNLive