The number of employees in major ports in the country is declining and the strength at Cochin Port has reduced to just over 3,900 from over 5,300 during the course of 2001-10, says a study conducted by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).
In its study, Assocham had analysed employment scenario at major ports of Chennai, Cochin (including Dock Labour Board employees), Ennore, J L Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (including Haldia Docks Complex), Murmugao, Mumbai (including Dock Labour Board employees), New Manglore, Paradip, Tuticorin (including workers of cargo handling labour pool) and Visakhapatnam.
The analysis titled ‘Employment Scenario at Major, Minor and Intermediate Ports in India’ reveals that the number of employees at India’s major ports has declined at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about five per cent between 2001-2010.
Paradip, Marmugao, New Mangalore and Cochin are the major ports where the number of employees has dropped at a CAGR of about 3-4 per cent. The employment has also declined at about five per cent at the port of Chennai as the number of employees there has come down from over 12,250 to just about 8,000.
Ennore port is the only port where the number of employees perked up from about 15 to over 86 during the aforesaid period thereby registering an upward spiraling CAGR of about 19 per cent. The employment at the Mumbai port declined at the highest CAGR of about six per cent as the number of employees reduced from about 23,800 in 2001 to just over 14,000 in 2010, according to the analysis.