Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has issued notifications for establishment of 12 non-major ports in the state with private participation.

At present, two ports under private sector are operational at Dhamra and Gopalpur, apart from the lone public sector port in Paradip.

Limestone, industrial salt, urea, CP coke and anthracite coal are imported and illuminate sand, granite, iron ore pellets, snag, stone boulders and HR coils are exported through Gopalpur port.

Similarly, anthracite coal, clinker coking coal, DAP fertiliser, gypsum, limestone, potash, pyroexntie, steam coal, iron ore, coking coal and iron ore pellets are imported, while slag, iron ore, pellets, coking coal, non-coking and thermal coal are exported through Dhamra port.

Odisha commerce minister Nrusingha Charan Sahu said that a notification was issued regarding the establishment of 12 non-major ports. Four of the proposed locations were in Balasore, two each in Ganjam, Bhadrak and Puri districts and one each in Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts.

The four proposed locations in Balasore district for which notification has been issued are: Bichitrapur, Bahabalpur, Chandipur and Inchudi.

The state government had signed an MOU with Creative Port Development Private Limited on December 18, 2006 for establishing a port on Subarnarekha river mouth in the same district and the revenue sharing agreement for the facility has been inked on January 11, 2008. For the purpose, 692.680 acres has been acquired and handed over to the company. The Union ministry of environment and forests has accorded the environmental clearance for the port project in 2012. The state government has decided to start port construction.

However, construction at Chudamani port in neighbouring Bhadrak district has run into hurdles after Aditya Birla Group that had signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government on October 22, 2009, withdrew from the agreement.

Navayuga Engineering Company Limited had inked an MOU with the state government on October 22, 2008, for setting up a port at Astarang in Puri district and later inked the revenue sharing agreement on October 22, 2010.

Now, the land acquisition work is on.

Besides, notification has been issued for establishment of port on Jatadhar river mouth in Jagasinghpur district, at Baliharchandi in Puri district, Palur and Bahuda mouth in Ganjam district.

Apart from this, process is on for selection of developer for setting up a riverine port on Mahanadi river in Kendrapara district, official sources said.