Therefore, I request Hon. @PMOIndia's intervention to delete chapters II, III & V of the draft bill and ensure the continued growth of...

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin addressed a formal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting the immediate deletion of chapters two, three, and five from the revised draft Indian Ports Bill, 2022. Stalin asserted that these provisions infringe directly upon state authority by creating an overriding central regulatory structure over non-major maritime ports.

The Chief Minister highlighted that maritime state governments have demonstrated decades of proven administrative capability in planning, financing, and operating minor ports tailored to regional industrial demands. Subjecting non-major ports to a centralized council with mandatory licensing and adjudicatory oversight dilutes state discretion, stalling fast-track cargo logistics. Stalin argued that cooperative federalism requires honoring constitutional federal boundaries, particularly in maritime commerce where decentralized governance yields greater local economic dynamism.

Stalin urged the Union government to recognize that maritime states possess specialized institutional knowledge necessary to drive port-led industrial growth across peninsular India. He reiterated that his administration remains committed to safeguarding state autonomy while advancing port infrastructure, calling upon the Union leadership to amend the draft legislation immediately to uphold constitutional principles, protect state resources, and maintain federal balance.