Question : DECENTRALISING DG SHIPPING

(a) the number of applications of small fisheries units pending with the Director General of Shipping (DG-Shipping) for various clearances as on date;

(b) whether a demand has been made to establish a special cell to cater to the needs of small units, coastal shipping and fisheries sector in the country;

(c) if so, the reaction of the government to decentralize all functions of the DG-Shipping located in Mumbai;

(d) whether the Government proposes to operate a cell in Delhi to supervise the functions of the DG-Shipping and thus avoid the delays; and

(e) the measures proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure that small entrepreneurs get a voice and also to modernise and simplify procedures of DG-Shipping?

MINISTER OF SHIPPING (SHRI G.K. VASAN)

(a): Only one application received on 5th December, 2011 is pending in the Office of the Directorate General of Shipping.

(b): No, Madam.

(c): The respective Principal Officers, at the Mercantile Marine Departments (MMDs) at Mumbai, Kolkata & Chennai have already been designated as Heads of Departments in their jurisdictions to ensure speedy disposal of cases.

(d): There is no such proposal.

(e): Small entrepreneurs like fishing companies need not visit Mumbai for submitting any of their applications for necessary clearance/permission from the Directorate General of Shipping. They need only to submit their applications by post, along with necessary enclosures as per the check list provided for such clearances. As a facilitation measure, the Directorate General of Shipping has an official website ‘www.dgshipping.com’ wherein pertinent information is put out in the public domain. Incrementally, several official activities of the DGS are enabled through the e-Governance driven ‘E-Samudra’ project.