Governor P Sathasivam asks to withdraw maritime bill

Thiruvananthapuram: Governor P. Sathasivam has sent back the Kerala Maritime Board Bill  passed in 2014 by the previous  UDF government to  secure around Rs 1,000 crore central aid for developing the minor ports in the state.   The Bill included the terms and conditions of  Negotiable Instrument Act, over which only the centre has the authority.

Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan  read out the message from the Governor in the Assembly on Thursday  which stated that the Bill was returned "in pursuance to the provisions of Article 201 of the Constitution of India with the message to withdraw the Bill.”

However, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala tried to explain  the differences in the messages of the President and Governor through a point of order.  The President had returned it  with a message to reconsider it while the Governor asked it to be withdrawn.

However, the speaker disallowed the point of order  saying there was no precedent in the House on discussion or debate on a Governor's message.

The Union  home ministry had earlier decided that the Bill need not be subject to the President’s consideration for the same reason. It  was aimed at bringing the present ports department, maritime society and maritime development corporation under the maritime board.

The major objectives of the board included coordination of the activities of all the ports in the state and  shifting  the cargo movement from road to  sea.   It would supervise  the construction of small harbours,  implement  laws of the Union shipping ministry and shipping transport department, train and  carry  out other duties vested in the state government by the Indian harbour rules.

The minor ports, unlike the major ports, come under the direct control of state governments. Three of the ten coastal states - Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu - have their own maritime boards. Kerala, which has a coastline of more than 580 km, has been contemplating the constitution of a maritime board for at least ten years.

Apart from minor ports, non-nationalised and rural waterways were proposed to come under the  board. However, major ports and nationalised waterways would remain under the centre. It was also proposed to seek the help of the Navy and Coast Guard to protect minor ports.

There were provisions to develop freight service through sea and rural waterways aimed at a yearly profit of up to Rs 20,000 crore.