Reports indicate that the Indian Ports Association (IPA) prepared a draft plan for providing financial assistance to port development projects undertaken by State Maritime Boards (SMBs).

According to the plan, the central government would give 50 per cent funding with cap of Rs 50 crore for projects on capital dredging and setting up of coastal jetty, and 50 per cent grant for developing inland waterways transport (IWT) jetties with cap of 25 crore.

The draft plan also suggests a provision of Rs 50 lakh for the preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs), reports suggest.

Specifically, the scheme would support capital dredging, coastal jetty, IWT jetties and preparation of DPRs for infrastructure development.

Non-major ports have projected a total dredging requirement of 543.61 million cubic meters (MCM) during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-17) and of this 418.03 MCM is for capital dredging.

Every year, maritime states can formulate two projects relating to capital dredging (carried out to create a new harbour, berth or waterway, or to deepen existing facilities in order to allow larger ships access) and creation of coastal berths for getting grant from the centre.