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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Choked JNPA’s relief for containers

Mumbai : The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) – which handles nearly 50 pc of India’s container traffic – announced a slew of measures bringing relief to exporters whose containers remain stuck, choking up the port in the wake of the Gulf War.   JNPA Chairperson Gaurav Daya along with top officers and stakeholders are monitoring the situation 24x7 and has given relief by way of 100 pc waivers of ground rent/dwell-time charges.   An estimated 3,250-plus containers bound for different...

Choked JNPA’s relief for containers

Mumbai : The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) – which handles nearly 50 pc of India’s container traffic – announced a slew of measures bringing relief to exporters whose containers remain stuck, choking up the port in the wake of the Gulf War.   JNPA Chairperson Gaurav Daya along with top officers and stakeholders are monitoring the situation 24x7 and has given relief by way of 100 pc waivers of ground rent/dwell-time charges.   An estimated 3,250-plus containers bound for different countries are stuck at the JNPA, rattling exporters, particularly those laden with perishable food stuffs, medicines and other emergency supplies, worth thousands of crores of rupees.   The waiver charges shall be applicable for 15 days, from midnight of Feb. 28 to midnight of March 14 for all containers lying inside the JNPA Terminals from Feb. 2 or those which had entered its gates till 0700 hrs of March 8, as per a circular issued by JNPA GM (Traffic) Girish Thomas.   “All terminal operators shall waive 80 per cent of the reefer plug in charges up to 15 days to those stranded reefer containers loaded with perishable goods, which were tying inside from Feb. 28 or those or those which had gated in till 0700 hours on March 8 only,” the circular reads.    The JNPA comprises five container terminals – the Nhava Sheva Free Port Terminal (NSFT), Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal (NSICT), Nhava Sheva India Gateway Terminal (NSIGT), Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal (BMCT), and GTI-APM Terminal (APM). They are operated by a mix of Indian and global port operators, including DP World, PSA International, APM Terminals, and JM Baxi.   The JNPA said it will provide all necessary help and relief as per directives of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPS&W).   Prior to this, the Port and Terminal Operators had already extended relief to the EXIM community which included a facility to store stranded containers in the terminals container yards till the cargo is shipped out.   It engaged in constant consultation with the Customs authorities to facilitate storage of laden containers from other ports destined to the Middle East, as temporary transshipment cargo at JNPA terminals, besides providing additional storage area to the terminals for stacking such extra cargo.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah welcomes caste census, urges Centre to add socio-economic and educational survey



Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hailed the Union Government's move to approve the caste census alongside the national population enumeration, but urged that it be accompanied by a wider survey to capture the social, economic, and educational realities of various communities.



"Our Government wholeheartedly welcomes the decision, but I urge the Centre to take it a step further -- to gather data that can inform a scientific and equitable reservation policy," said CM Siddaramaiah.



Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah welcomes caste census, urges Centre to add socio-economic and educational survey



"Based on that data, we have revised and expanded our reservation policy," he said, positioning Karnataka as a template for national implementation.



The Congress leader also used the opportunity to credit Rahul Gandhi's consistent advocacy for caste census and reservation reform.



"Even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn't acknowledge it, the country knows it was Rahul Gandhi's relentless pressure that brought the Centre to this decision," he said.



Siddaramaiah criticised past BJP opposition to caste-based data collection, saying the party once labelled it "divisive" and contrary to Hindu unity.



"Their shift in stance is welcome, but it's clear that Congress's pressure and vision led the way," he asserted.



Recounting his earlier tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, he said the idea for a caste census had been initiated during the Dharam Singh Government but was delayed until his return as Chief Minister.



He highlighted that the Supreme Court itself has, on several occasions, underlined the need for robust socio-economic data to justify reservation policies.



He further urged Prime Minister Modi to rein in BJP leaders in Karnataka who continue to oppose the state's survey efforts.



"Just as they mocked our five Guarantee schemes and later adopted them, this change too reflects the growing influence of Congress's pro-people agenda," he added.



Offering full cooperation to the Centre, Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka model is ready to serve as a blueprint.



"We are fully prepared to guide the Union Government if needed," he stated.



The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.



Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated at a media briefing following the cabinet meeting that the decision demonstrates the present government's commitment to the holistic interests and values of the nation and society.



As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the Census is a Union subject listed at 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule.



Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said caste was excluded from all census operations conducted since independence.

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