Shipping Ministry renamed Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways

PTI, Nov 11, 2020, 1:24 PM IST

New Delhi: The Centre has renamed the Shipping Ministry as the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement to this effect.

According to a notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, maritime shipping and navigation, provision of education and training for the mercantile marine, lighthouses and lightships, administration of the ports, shipping and navigation — including carriage of passengers, and goods on inland and national waterways — will be under it.

The notification, signed by President Ram Nath Kovind, said the decision had been taken by exercising of the powers conferred by clause (3) of Article 77 of the Constitution and by amending the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961.

“In THE FIRST SCHEDULE,- (i) after the heading “26. Ministry of Planning (Yojana Mantralaya)”, the following heading shall be inserted, namely:- “26A. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (”Pattan, Pot Parivahan aur Jalmarg Mantralaya”)”; (ii) the heading “32. Ministry of Shipping (”Pot Parivahan Mantralaya”)” shall be omitted,” it said.

Other subjects that will come under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways include shipbuilding and ship-repair industry, ship-breaking, fishing vessels industry, floating craft industry among others.

Various autonomous bodies like the Port Trusts in Mumbai, Kolkata and others, the Inland Waterways Authority of India and the Shipping Corporation of India will also come under the ministry.

Modi had said on Sunday that the Shipping Ministry was being expanded and renamed as the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

“In developed economies, in most places, the Shipping Ministry also takes care of ports and waterways. In India, the shipping ministry does a lot of work related to ports and waterways. Clarity in name will also bring about clarity in work,” the prime minister had said.