Ramayapatnam Port 80.5% Complete; to Be Operational by Year-End: Centre

Ramayapatnam Port 80.5% complete; to function from year-end: Centre DC CORRESPONDENT NELLORE, JULY 21 Construction of the Ramayapatnam Port is 80.55 per cent complete. It is on track for commissioning by December 2026, said Rajya Sabha member Beeda Masthan Rao Yadav said on Tuesday. Citing a written reply from the centre government to his question in Parliament, he said Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal had informed the Rajya Sabha that work on the port is progressing as scheduled. The breakwater is 97.98 per cent complete, berth construction has reached 95.35 per cent, while 68.73 per cent of dredging is over. According to the Rajya Sabha member, the 5.5-km road connecting the port to NH-16 is 95 per cent complete. The work is expected to be finished by September 2026. The 7.4-km railway line linking the port with Tettu Railway Station has reached 30 per cent completion. It is targeted for completion by December 2026. Beeda Masthan Rao said commissioning of the Ramayapatnam Port would boost industrial growth, trade, and exports from Nellore district and south coastal Andhra Pradesh, besides generating direct and indirect employment. He urged the central and state government to complete the port and its connectivity projects within the scheduled timeframe. In a separate written reply to another question raised by the MP, the centre said it has intensified action against fake loan applications and illegal digital lending platforms by blocking fraudulent apps, strengthening regulatory norms, and increasing public awareness to protect citizens from online financial fraud. Union finance minister of state Pankaj Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha that the centre is working with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Home Affairs, and state governments to curb digital lending frauds. The minister’s reply stated that RBI has launched the Digital Lending Apps (DLA) Directory on July 1, 2025, to help borrowers identify authorised digital lending platforms. It pointed out that 87 illegal loan apps have been blocked under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, while regular reviews are being conducted with internet intermediaries and messaging platforms to identify and remove fraudulent applications. The Centre said the RBI's Digital Lending Directions, 2025, have introduced stricter norms on loan recovery, customer data protection, and grievance redressal. Victims of online loan fraud have been advised to lodge complaints through the National Cyber Crime Portal or the 1930 cyber helpline. Awareness campaigns are also being conducted through banks, SMS alerts, and radio broadcasts. Beeda Masthan Rao requested farmers, women, youth and rural residents to verify whether digital lending platforms are authorised by the RBI before availing loans. He asked them to be wary of apps that promise instant low-interest loans.