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 The President had returned it with a message to reconsider it while the Governor asked it to be withdrawn.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.
