Odisha Maritime Board Holds Its First Meeting

Bhubaneswar: The first meeting of Odisha Maritime Board was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena here on Tuesday.

The board was set up last year for the functioning, regulation, and management of minor ports in the State.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary urged the concerned officials to fill the posts of senior officers in the board immediately. He also stressed on expediting administrative work by appointing competent officers in various services on deputation or direct recruitment.

Jena said that the board should be made functional with its own resources and work for development of ports, to bring investment, and promotion of maritime industries.

The Chief Secretary asked the officials to invite entries from the public for the design of the logo and tagline of the board.

It was decided in the meeting to reward the person, whose logo and design will be selected.

Principal Secretary of Commerce and Transport Department Usha Padhee highlighted the purpose of forming the Maritime Board in the meeting.

Odisha is the fifth State in the country to set up the board on the recommendation of the Central Government to regulate inter-State trade, import and export business through Odisha’s beaches and small ports.