Surat: Speaking at Textiles and Plastic Conclave in Surat, union minister Dharmendra Pradhan today said Paradip port in Odisha will defeat Kandla port in Gujarat in next two years and become India’s number one port.

‘Today we compete you and we will leave you behind. In two years, Paradip will be number one port. It has deepest draft. The annual traffic was 106 million and it will go up to 107 million tonne, and I am saying this as per conservative estimate. Becoming number one port could be possible not in next two three years but next year itself,’ Pradhan said.

‘In recent Pragati meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he asked Odisha government to complete the works of Haridaspur – Paradip line speedily. Once it is completed, we will leave you behind,’ Pradhan further said.

In reference to large number of Odisha labourers working in Surat, Dharmendra Pradhan said drivers of industry in Surat are people from Odisha, so what if cars belong to Gujarati industrialists. He invited Gujarat industrialists to invest in textile and polymers sectors at places in Odisha such as Paradip and Bhadrak. He said two ports in coastal Odisha will also open gateway for export to South East Asian countries.

Pradhan thanked Surat for taking good care of Odisha labourers. He recalled how Surat economy had suffered downturn when workers returned to Odisha following plague epidemic in year 1994.

Admiring how then Chief Minister Narendra Modi built Gujarat, Dharmendra Pradhan said, ‘as a part of make in India spirit, we decided to do away with global tenders and encourage domestic pipe industry for laying pipelines. And I was surprised to find that pipe manufacturers with successful bids were from Kutch. I asked how come pipes are made in Kutch while steel comes from East India? They gave credit to then Chief Minister Narendra Modi and said how post earthquake in 2001 incentive plans were declared and factories were attracted to Kutch.’

Giving other example of Modi’s vision, Dharmendra Pradhan said, ‘globally gas is considered cheaper and cleaner energy option. While gas occupies 24% of energy market globally, the share in India is 6% but in Gujarat it is 26%. Thanks to Modi’s long term vision, Gujarat is gas based economy.’

He went on to say, ‘Rs 13,000 crore gas pipeline is being laid between Uttar Pradesh and coastal Odisha to Haldiya in Bay of Bengal. In half of Odisha districts, pipe network is laid. It will provide option of source of energy other than electricity.

DeshGujarat