As per recent media reports, it is heard that the steel ministry has proposed to allow Paradip port in Odisha as the single-point entry for all steel imports to India in a bid to check in-bound shipments of sub-standard products.
However earlier also, it was heard that the steel ministry had written a proposal to the finance minister to restrict steel imports to only Mundra port situated in Gujarat.
But, there is not any official confirmation has been yet given on the above proposals.
The main motive behind these proposals is only to restrict import by making it costlier. Moreover, the ministry also wants to monitor the steel products entering to the country, which can be only achieved through a centralized port.
Sources reported that the Paradip port is very accessible from industrial areas in Raipur, Durgapur and other steel & iron-ore producing and processing units. They also believe that Paradip with an annual cargo-handling capacity of 108.50 MnT and an evacuation capacity of over 25 rakes in a day, can be an ideal location, said the government’s official to media.
Apart from this, the port has embarked on an expansion programme to step up capacity. Shifting the port of entry will lead to higher costs for importers.
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