<p data-path-to-node="5"><span class="">Strongly pushing back against opposition criticism,</span><span class=""> the Andhra Pradesh state government has firmly defended its use of public-private partnerships for maritime development.</span><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-467 citation-end-467">The Minister for Roads &amp; Buildings, Infrastructure, and Investments, BC Janardhan Reddy, explicitly rejected claims from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) that public infrastructure assets are being handed over to private entities, clarifying that the state relies strictly on a transparent Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.</span></p><p data-path-to-node="6"><span class="citation-466 citation-end-466">Speaking at a media briefing at the state Secretariat, the Minister emphasized that the PPP model is a globally accepted operational structure designed to boost port efficiency without giving up government ownership of key infrastructure.</span></p><h3 data-path-to-node="8" class=""><b data-path-to-node="8" data-index-in-node="0">State Permanently Retains Sovereign Rights and Coastline Control Under DBFOT Framework</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="9"><span class="">The state’s policy response details the regulatory boundaries and legal frameworks built into its modern port concessions:</span></p><ul data-path-to-node="10"><li><p data-path-to-node="10,0,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" class="">Widespread Adoption of Port PPPs:</b><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-465 citation-end-465">Minister Reddy noted that the PPP model is the standard approach for Indian maritime development, operating successfully across the country for nearly three decades.</span><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-464 citation-end-464">Currently, out of 119 non-major ports running or being built across India, roughly 108 terminals (about 91%) utilize this exact framework.</span><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-463 citation-end-463">States like Karnataka, Odisha, and Puducherry manage all their non-major waterfronts via PPP setups, while Gujarat handles 90% of its minor docks through similar arrangements.</span></p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,1,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" class="">Preserving Sovereign Control:</b><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-462">Explaining the underlying legal structure, the Minister stated that projects are built under the </span><b data-path-to-node="10,1,0" data-index-in-node="127" class="">Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) framework</b><span class="citation-462 citation-end-462">.</span><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-461 citation-end-461">Under these terms, all sovereign rights including land and port ownership, coastline rights, maritime security, policy-making, tariff regulations, and environmental compliance monitoring remain permanently with the state government.</span></p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,2,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" class="">Strict Concessionaire Boundaries:</b><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-460 citation-end-460">Private operating partners are only responsible for day-to-day operations and maintaining terminal facilities under close government oversight.</span><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-459 citation-end-459">The state government keeps full authority to review operator performance, issue penalties for contract violations, and completely cancel the standard 30-year concession agreements if the operator fails to meet key targets.</span></p></li><li><p data-path-to-node="10,3,0"><b data-path-to-node="10,3,0" data-index-in-node="0" class="">Clarifying the Ramayapatnam Project:</b><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-458 citation-end-458">Addressing criticisms directed at the Ramayapatnam Port project, Reddy dismissed opposition claims that 95% of the development was already finished under the previous administration as completely inaccurate.</span><span class=""> </span><span class="citation-457 citation-end-457">The Minister reaffirmed that the current government is focused on building world-class port infrastructure through transparent, competitive bidding while keeping all strategic maritime assets under full public ownership.</span></p></li></ul>