Panaji port struggling for revenue

PTI, PANAJI | 28 September 2013 21:31 IST

A minor port of Panaji, owned by Goa government is struggling to earn revenue due to a year long ban on the export of iron ore.

The authorities now feel that proposals for alternate cargo are also not fetching the projected results.

“Major chunk of its revenue came from barges transporting ore,” said Captain James Braganza, who heads this port, located across the capital city of Panaji.

This year, the predictions were to collect Rs 25 crore expecting that the mining activity would resume. But the predictions are falling flat as the case of resumption of mining is still being heard in the Supreme Court.

The government figures show that a revenue of Rs 40 crore was earned during financial year 2011-12, which dropped to Rs 12 crore in financial year 2012-13.

As per the statistics, the port collected a revenue of around Rs 1.58 crore in the first four months ending July 31 for the current financial year, while for the same period during previous financial year, the department had collected a revenue of up to Rs 8.85 crore.

During April-July last year, transportation of iron ore was in full swing. The port administration is also baffled over the lack of response for the alternate cargo like wood chips and coal, which have been given a go ahead by the state government.

Braganza said though the government has granted permission for import of coal and wood chips, there are no takers.

He said coal transportation will kick off after monsoon season but that too not on large scale.

Port’s proposal for wood chips export too has no takers.

“A Kolkata based paper industry had shown interest for import of wood. But there is no response from them now,” he said.


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