Gopalpur Port: Odisha Cabinet approves transfer of equity shares to Adani Ports

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet today approved a proposal for the transfer of equity shares to Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) from Shapoorji Pallonji Port Maintenance Private Limited and Orissa Stevedores Limited along with permission to sign the revised concession agreement towards the development and expansion of Gopalpur Port in the state.

Gopalpur Ports Ltd. had sought permission for the transfer of 95% of equity shares to Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited from Shapoorji Pallonji Port Maintenance Private Limited (56%) and Orissa Stevedores Limited (39%).

The Gopalpur Port, initially managed by the Commerce & Transport Department as a fair-weather lighterage port, operated only during favourable weather conditions.

Recognising its potential for economic development and its impact on the socio-economic life of Odisha’s people, the Odisha government decided in 2003 to transform it into an all-weather deep berthing seaport through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the Build Own Operate Share Transfer (BOOST) mode. Gopalpur Ports Limited (GPL) won the bid through a competitive process.

The Cabinet also approved a 10% reservation for ex-Agniveers in Uniform Services in the state.

With the decision, ex-Agniveers will get opportunities to secure jobs in Uniform Services like Police, Forest, Excise, Fire or any services as decided by the government from time to time.

There will be a 10% horizontal reservation for ex-Agniveers in all Group C and D posts in direct recruitment in the Uniform Services of the state. The reservation will be over and above the reservation applicable for ex-servicemen.

The ex-Agniveers need to fulfil the required minimum qualifications prescribed for the posts in the relevant recruitment rules as of the date of award of the Agniveer certificate, said a cabinet note.

There will be a three-year age relaxation in the upper age limit for ex-Agniveers in all Group C and D posts in direct recruitment in the Uniform Services.

This apart, they will be exempted from physical efficiency tests.

The Cabinet also approved an amendment to the OCS (RA) Rules, 2020.

As per the provision of the OCS (RA) Rules, 2020, unmarried daughters and unmarried stepdaughters of deceased government servants are being considered for compassionate appointment. Whereas, the case of married daughters/ married stepdaughters was not considered.

With the amend to the OCS (RA) Rules, 2020, the government would consider the case of daughters/ stepdaughters irrespective of their status of marriage for compassionate appointment subject to conditions that their “dependency” on their parents is proved.