Were the rules changed for Adani Port? Congress said- get a JPC inquiry done
#News Bureau August 14,2024
The Congress on Wednesday reiterated its demand for a joint parliamentary committee on the Adani issue and alleged that the Gujarat government was helping Adani Ports to “secure a monopoly” over the state’s port sector. The Congress alleges that Adani Ports currently has control over Mundra, Hazira and Dahej ports because of the Gujarat government’s alleged Adani model.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Gujarat government gives a concession period of 30 years to private ports on a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis, after which the ownership is transferred to the Gujarat government. The Congress alleges that ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Adani Ports had requested the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to extend this concession period from 45 years to just 75 years
Jairam Ramesh says that “this is far beyond the maximum permissible period of 50 years, but GMB was in a hurry to request the Gujarat government to do so. GMB was in such a hurry that it did so without the approval of its board, resulting in the file being held back.
The Congress said the GMB board recommended that the Gujarat government protect its revenue interests by inviting bids from other potential operators and companies after the expiry of the 30-year concession or by renegotiating financial terms with Adani. “It appears that Tempo-wala (Adani), upset at this possibility of competition, forced a change in the GMB board’s decision – which was amended to recommend an extension of the concession period for Adani. There was no provision for calling for new tenders and no provision for renegotiating terms,” Jairam Ramesh said. That is, after the removal of both the rules, Adani can easily get the benefit of the extended period.
Of course, the chief minister and everyone else was in a hurry to ensure that the proposal was passed and got approvals from all the necessary stakeholders, he claimed. “This daylight robbery has at least two serious consequences – Adani Ports will gain a monopoly over Gujarat’s port sector, harming market competition and driving up prices for the common man. Adani Ports’ valuation will increase and borrowing costs will fall,” said Jairam Ramesh. Ramesh claimed that by failing to renegotiate or open up the process for competitive bidding, the Gujarat government will lose crores of rupees in revenue.
Jairam Ramesh claimed that by failing to renegotiate or open up the process for competitive bidding, the Gujarat government will lose crores of rupees in revenue. Modi hai toh Adani ke liye sab kuchh mumkin hai! Hence, a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is necessary.”
