Vizhinjam to get export promotion benefits soon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vizhinjam port is expected to get export promotion benefits once improved infrastructure is in place by January 2012, Ports Minister K Babu told the Assembly on Thursday. The Central Government had declared Vizhinjam Port a Customs port in 1994 itself. But due to shortcomings in infrastructure prescribed by Section 5(1) of the Handling of Cargo in Customs Areas Regulations, the Customs Commissioner had not issued the required notification. The port used to get export subsidy up to three years back, but this was stopped citing the absence of the necessary infrastructure. A meeting convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on September 5 this year had taken decisions to correct this, Babu said.  ‘’Tender process for constructing a Transit Shed at a cost of Rs 1.60 crore is in the final stage. In addition to this, the Harbour Engineering Department has been asked to construct a boundary wall, road, entry/exit gates and also provide electrification by January 2012,’’ the Minister said.A port officer has now been appointed and the state government has reached an agreement with Customs for installing electronic data exchange facility at the port. The Port Director has been asked to provide space for the Customs office at the existing two-storeyed building, the Minister said. ‘’It has also been agreed that the Customs officials will issue the necessary notification once the infrastructure is in place,’’ Babu said.