Karnataka Non-major Ports Iron Ore Handling Policy, 2025

Karnataka Non-major Ports Iron Ore Handling Policy, 2025

News-

• State government approves policy for iron ore exports from non-major ports in Karnataka

Background

• Amid large-scale violation of rules in extraction of iron ore and large quantities of iron ore export illegally, the State government had banned export of iron ore from 10 non-major ports in 2010 under the Karnataka Ports (Landing and Shipping Fees) Act, 1961.
• However, in 2022, the Supreme Court allowed export of iron ore from these ports strictly under the policy of Indian government.
• It permitted export of iron ore through ports in Karnataka as is being done in the rest of the country.

About new policy

• To clear the export of iron ore from minor ports in Karnataka, the State government approved Karnataka Non-major Ports Iron Ore Handling Policy, 2025/
• Objective : handling of iron ore through non-major ports under the Karnataka Maritime Board.
• “The policy is a standard operating procedure for the export of iron ore from these ports.

List of Karnataka’s 13 Non-Major Ports:

1. Karwar (All-weather, deepwater)
2. Belekeri
3. Tadri (Tadadi)
4. Pavinakuruva (Pavinakurve)
5. Honnavar
6. Manki
7. Bhatkal
8. Kundapur (Kundapura)
9. Hangarakatta
10. Malpe
11. Padubidri
12. Old Mangalore

Baindur (Byndoor) (Udupi district)

Panel formed to implement SEP recommendations

• Headed by : The State government has appointed a five-member expert committee headed by the Principal Secretary of the Higher Education Department
• Aim : to examine and implement the recommendations related to higher education in the State Education Policy (SEP) final report, submitted to the government by the SEP Commission.
• composition : The vice-president of the Karnataka State Higher Education Council, the Commissioner of the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education and the Director of the Department of Technical Education are members of the committee, and the Special Officer of the Higher Education Department is the member-secretary.
• timeline : The committee has been given two weeks’ time to submit its report to the government.

Note :

• The SEP Commission, headed by educationist Sukhdeo Thorat, submitted the final report of the State Education Policy consisting of 2,197 pages to the government on August 9, 2025.
• The report made a total of 26 major recommendations related to primary education, 52 to higher education, and 20 recommendations to professional education.