Odisha: PPT Chairman’s sudden VRS stunned employee, officers of Paradip port

Source: http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowBussinessNews.asp?id=33359

Report by Amarnath Parida; Paradip: Mr. G.Jagannath Rao who took over charge as chairman of Paradip Port Trust on 8th January ‘2011 has availed voluntary retirement from his service on Friday.

Mr. Rao’s voluntary retirement has stunned among the employees, officers, trade union leaders and others of Paradip port because he was praised by all groups of people for outstanding performance in port sector and took major steps for the development of Paradip port.

Taking to media persons, Mr. Rao said ‘he decided to avail VRS on my personal reason and I had sent my request letter to Union Ministry for Shipping for approval of VRS so that his VRS has been approved by the ministry on today’ he added.

After availing VRS, Mr Rao has been handed over the charge to deputy chairman of PPT Mr Ananth Kumar Bose to act as chairman of PPT.

Rao joined Paradip Port Trust in 1981 and became material manager from 1986 to 96. Later he was deputy chairman of the Chennai Port Trust and then chairman of the Tuticorin Port Trust and Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Sethusamudram.

Reliable sources said that Adanni group has selected Mr. Rao as chief executive officer of its port in Gujarat so he has been availed VRS to join as CEO of Adaani private port.

During his period as chairman of PPT, Mr Rao planned to set up a satellite port at Bahuda Mohana near Berhampur in Ganjam district so he requested the state government to provide 2500 acres of land for said port. He had also negotiated with district administration to solve 47 years land dispute between state government and PPT and also celebrated the golden jubilee celebration at Paradip recently.

Besides this, he had ambitious expansion plans to augment the capacity to 250 mt with 28 berths by 2020. The estimated investment could be around Rs 10,000 crore or so.

Trade union leader and newly elected trustee PPT Mr. Sudhakar Mantry has expressed ‘Mr Rao’ took major steps for the development of Paradip port during his period so his sudden VRS has stunned us and would affect the progress of the port’ -he added.

The officers, employees and trade union leaders have also been harassed after hearing Rao’s sudden VRS while others have expressed that Rao may quit his job as he was facing CBI probe during the deputy chairman of the Chennai Port Trust .


Read Background story about G J Rao at another post: CBI hands tied on tainted ex-Port chief, deputy chief (http://andamansaravanan.blogspot.in/2011/02/chennai-cbi-hands-tied-on-tainted-ex.html)