Government urged to scrap privatization of ports

The All India Ports and Dock Workers Federation has expressed concern over the Government's move to privatise major ports in the country. It has issued a request to the Shipping Ministry to desist from the move as it would be harmful to the interests of the workforce in the port sector.

According to a resolution adopted at the National Executive meeting of the Federation held in Kochi, it would not do to allow foreign companies to take over the port infrastructure in the name of privatisation.

The main reasons cited by the Government for privatisation are productivity, efficiency and investment. Productivity depends on three factors: technological efficiency, management efficiency and labour efficiency. The federation felt that technological efficiency can be improved by replacing old equipment with new ones with advanced technology. Management efficiency can be enhanced by professional, commercial management and technological expertise.

According to the federation, multinational companies are taking over only profit-making services, leaving behind un-remunerative services of the major ports. Because of this, within a short time, most of the major ports would land in huge deficits. This would affect lakhs of workers directly or indirectly depending on the port sector. This situation is likely to affect the nation's economy on account of the fact that the major ports are the lifeline of the country's economy.