Andhra Pradesh minister for ports Ganta Srinivasa Rao urged the centre to provide a single window clearance from the ministry of environment and forests for port expansion projects.
He said this during the 14th Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) meeting in Mumbai.
During the meeting, Rao called for relaxing the condition that a port has to go for public hearing for each phase of development even within a short span of time should be relaxed.
Rao said that union minister for shipping GK Vasan promised to sanction a new major port-cum-shipyard to coastal Andhra.
Besides, the minister received assurance from the union minister for funding an 895 km stretch of National Waterway 4 and also for reviving disused ports and jetties in the state. The central government also agreed to sanction staff for the Indian Maritime University in Vizag, Rao said.
He also said he had demanded supply of railway rakes for AP as the state was facing an acute shortage of fertilisers despite having huge stocks in port warehouses.