Latest news with #KSubramaniam
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
State NITI Aayog report suggests major push for Chhattisgarh's service sector
A Rajya NITI Aayog report, made with the aim of facilitating a 14-15 fold increase in Chhattisgarh's state GDP by 2047, was released on Thursday. It called for giving a major push to the service sector, which contributes 35% to the state GDP, and recommended several measures to take it to 50% by 2047. The more than 200-page report was released at an event in New Raipur in the presence of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, other state ministers, and NITI Aayog member K Subramaniam. 'The state GDP is Rs 5 lakh crore now… By 2047, we will take the state GDP to Rs 75 lakh crore,' CM Sai said. Subramaniam, who also spoke at the event, said, 'Social equity and human capital development are at the forefront with initiatives aimed at enhancing education, healthcare and skill development to empower our citizens.' The industrial sector contributes about 45% of Chhattisgarh's state GDP. The service sector contributes 35% and agriculture accounts for 20%. An excerpt from the report read, 'The service sector is expected to expand rapidly, driven by growth in information technology, logistics and tourism.' As per the report, Chhattisgarh presently ranks 19th in states with domestic tourist footfall and 28th in international tourist footfall. The report proposes giving the tourism industry benefits like reduced property tax rates, subsidised rates for electricity, water and land parcels, and others to push for its growth. The state will work on promoting different types of tourism, such as eco, cultural, wellness, religious, heritage, and adventure, as well as meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibition (MICE) tourism, where modern venues will be offered at locations surrounded by natural beauty. The report, under each category of tourism, has short-listed several tourist spots that can be developed. For connectivity, the report recommended turning Chhattisgarh's capital city, Raipur, into an international airport with direct flights to the United States, Bangladesh and the United Kingdom. The report also calls for expanding and upgrading roads, enhancing connectivity to 10 districts that currently have no direct railway connection, developing a range of ancillary services, local packaging hubs, 24/7 logistics operations, developing multi-modal logistics parks, specialised terminals and cold chain infrastructure. Tapping low-cost land for IT and IT-enabled companies to establish and expand operations is also among the report's proposals. There were also suggestions to make the state a hub for Hindi BPOs and artificial intelligence startups.
Malay Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Port Klang Authority defends tariff revision, says move curbs yard congestion, boosts efficiency
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — The Port Klang Authority (PKA) yesterday clarified that its tariff rates will remain among the most competitive in the region. Its general manager, K Subramaniam, said that even after the staggered increases are fully implemented in 2027, Port Klang's tariffs will still be between 5.0 per cent and 185 per cent lower than those of other Asean ports. Refuting claims by several parties regarding the recent tariff revision, Subramaniam said Port Klang's overall cost competitiveness reinforces its strategic role as the preferred logistics and transshipment hub for global logistics and distribution centres. 'In Port Klang's latest tariff revision, a comprehensive benchmarking exercise was conducted against neighbouring and regional ports. Despite the revision, Port Klang's tariff rates will remain among the most competitive in the region. 'The overall cost competitiveness reinforces Port Klang's strategic positioning as the preferred logistics and transshipment hub for global logistics and distribution centres,' said Subramaniam in a statement yesterday. He clarified that it was incorrect to assume all container volumes in Port Klang would be subject to the full increase, as this ignores key factors such as phased implementation, free storage periods, and the fact that a significant portion of cargo is transshipment, which is priced differently. He added that the last tariff review was conducted a decade ago, and storage rates have remained unchanged for nearly six decades. Subramaniam said that at just RM4 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), the storage rate has remained unchanged since 1966. This has been a major contributor to yard congestion, as the port has been used as a low-cost, long-term storage option, leading to inefficient use of terminal facilities. He said the revised charges are aimed at improving cargo turnaround by discouraging long-term storage and easing yard congestion, thereby enhancing operational efficiency. To this end, Subramaniam noted that port users who move containers within the free storage period would not be affected by the targeted increases. 'The revised rates consider contemporary logistics solutions within the supply chain and support responsible storage usage in the ports, thereby facilitating more productive and efficient operations,' he added. Far from undermining Malaysia's competitiveness, he said the tariff revision is designed to strengthen Port Klang's position as a regional logistics hub by enabling continued investment in capacity, technology and sustainability. This will ultimately benefit manufacturers, exporters and importers, and advance Malaysia's trade ecosystem. 'The Port Klang tariff revision is a measured and necessary step to ensure long-term service quality, operational efficiency and infrastructure readiness. 'Before the tariff was approved, a comprehensive and detailed study was undertaken. As a result, the quantum of the rate increase was reduced and implemented through a staggered three-year plan,' he said. In response to concerns that the revision would significantly raise consumer goods prices, PKA clarified that port charges represent only a small fraction of the total cost to consumers. 'Typically, a 20-foot container carrying 20 tonnes of cargo will see an increase in handling charges of just 0.45 sen per kilogram,' he added. — Bernama
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Port Klang tariffs remain competitive, says PKA
KUALA LUMPUR: The Port Klang Authority (PKA) today clarified that its tariff rates will remain among the most competitive in the region. Its general manager, K Subramaniam, said that even after the staggered increases are fully implemented in 2027, Port Klang's tariffs will still be between 5.0 per cent and 185 per cent lower than those of other ASEAN ports. Refuting claims by several parties regarding the recent tariff revision, Subramaniam said Port Klang's overall cost competitiveness reinforces its strategic role as the preferred logistics and transshipment hub for global logistics and distribution centres. 'In Port Klang's latest tariff revision, a comprehensive benchmarking exercise was conducted against neighbouring and regional ports. Despite the revision, Port Klang's tariff rates will remain among the most competitive in the region. 'The overall cost competitiveness reinforces Port Klang's strategic positioning as the preferred logistics and transshipment hub for global logistics and distribution centres,' said Subramaniam in a statement on Monday (June 16). He clarified that it was incorrect to assume all container volumes in Port Klang would be subject to the full increase, as this ignores key factors such as phased implementation, free storage periods, and the fact that a significant portion of cargo is transshipment, which is priced differently. He added that the last tariff review was conducted a decade ago, and storage rates have remained unchanged for nearly six decades. Subramaniam said that at just RM4 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), the storage rate has remained unchanged since 1966. This has been a major contributor to yard congestion, as the port has been used as a low-cost, long-term storage option, leading to inefficient use of terminal facilities. He said the revised charges are aimed at improving cargo turnaround by discouraging long-term storage and easing yard congestion, thereby enhancing operational efficiency. To this end, Subramaniam noted that port users who move containers within the free storage period would not be affected by the targeted increases. 'The revised rates consider contemporary logistics solutions within the supply chain and support responsible storage usage in the ports, thereby facilitating more productive and efficient operations,' he added. Far from undermining Malaysia's competitiveness, he said the tariff revision is designed to strengthen Port Klang's position as a regional logistics hub by enabling continued investment in capacity, technology and sustainability. This will ultimately benefit manufacturers, exporters and importers, and advance Malaysia's trade ecosystem. 'The Port Klang tariff revision is a measured and necessary step to ensure long-term service quality, operational efficiency and infrastructure readiness. 'Before the tariff was approved, a comprehensive and detailed study was undertaken. As a result, the quantum of the rate increase was reduced and implemented through a staggered three-year plan,' he said. In response to concerns that the revision would significantly raise consumer goods prices, PKA clarified that port charges represent only a small fraction of the total cost to consumers. 'Typically, a 20-foot container carrying 20 tonnes of cargo will see an increase in handling charges of just 0.45 sen per kilogram,' he added.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Port Klang tariff remains competitive in region, says PKA chief
KUALA LUMPUR: The Port Klang Authority (PKA) today clarified that its tariff rates will remain among the most competitive in the region. Its general manager, K Subramaniam, said that even after the staggered increases are fully implemented in 2027, Port Klang's tariffs will still be between 5.0 per cent and 185 per cent lower than those of other ASEAN ports. Refuting claims by several parties regarding the recent tariff revision, Subramaniam said Port Klang's overall cost competitiveness reinforces its strategic role as the preferred logistics and transshipment hub for global logistics and distribution centres. 'In Port Klang's latest tariff revision, a comprehensive benchmarking exercise was conducted against neighbouring and regional ports. Despite the revision, Port Klang's tariff rates will remain among the most competitive in the region. 'The overall cost competitiveness reinforces Port Klang's strategic positioning as the preferred logistics and transshipment hub for global logistics and distribution centres,' said Subramaniam in a statement on Monday (June 16). He clarified that it was incorrect to assume all container volumes in Port Klang would be subject to the full increase, as this ignores key factors such as phased implementation, free storage periods, and the fact that a significant portion of cargo is transshipment, which is priced differently. He added that the last tariff review was conducted a decade ago, and storage rates have remained unchanged for nearly six decades. Subramaniam said that at just RM4 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), the storage rate has remained unchanged since 1966. This has been a major contributor to yard congestion, as the port has been used as a low-cost, long-term storage option, leading to inefficient use of terminal facilities. He said the revised charges are aimed at improving cargo turnaround by discouraging long-term storage and easing yard congestion, thereby enhancing operational efficiency. To this end, Subramaniam noted that port users who move containers within the free storage period would not be affected by the targeted increases. 'The revised rates consider contemporary logistics solutions within the supply chain and support responsible storage usage in the ports, thereby facilitating more productive and efficient operations,' he added. Far from undermining Malaysia's competitiveness, he said the tariff revision is designed to strengthen Port Klang's position as a regional logistics hub by enabling continued investment in capacity, technology and sustainability. This will ultimately benefit manufacturers, exporters and importers, and advance Malaysia's trade ecosystem. 'The Port Klang tariff revision is a measured and necessary step to ensure long-term service quality, operational efficiency and infrastructure readiness. 'Before the tariff was approved, a comprehensive and detailed study was undertaken. As a result, the quantum of the rate increase was reduced and implemented through a staggered three-year plan,' he said. In response to concerns that the revision would significantly raise consumer goods prices, PKA clarified that port charges represent only a small fraction of the total cost to consumers. 'Typically, a 20-foot container carrying 20 tonnes of cargo will see an increase in handling charges of just 0.45 sen per kilogram,' he added.
