Goa mulls setting up maritime board

The Goa government is considering setting up a maritime board to streamline the process of privatisation of ports and designated areas within them.

The government is studying a proposal to set up such an agency, Port Minister Nilkant Halarnkar told the Assembly today.

In a written reply, he said maritime board can attract private capital and funds as well as loans on its own.

"Decisions about privatisation of ports or part of ports can easily be taken by the maritime board rather under a government department."

The newly inducted Minister said Goa is studying similar maritime boards in Gujarat and Maharashtra before deciding on the specialised agency of its own.