Bhubaneswar, March 12 (IANS): Dhamra port, a subsidiary of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd., paid Rs.73.48 crore as revenue share of the port to the Odisha government on Thursday.

Dhamra Port Company Ltd. (DPCL) director Santosh Kumar Mohapatra handed over a bank document of Rs.73.48 crore to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here, said a release of DPCL.

The money covers the period since the commencement of operation of the port in May 2011 up to September 2014, said DPCL sources.

The company was allowed a moratorium till March 2016, but has started paying its revenue share ahead of the expiry of this period.

As per the Concession Agreement, Dhamra Port Ltd. had to pay a share of five percent of its total revenue earning to the state government, which will become eight percent from the financial year 2016-17, and subsequently increase to 10 percent and 12 percent.

Thus, the share of the state government from the port will further increase in coming years. Dhamra port in Bhadrak district commenced commercial operations with two berths in May 2011.

The port has at present two berths for handling dry bulk cargo and has a 18-km channel with 17.5-metre draft for allowing smooth berthing of cape size and super cape size vessels.

The new promoters of the port, the Adani Group, are keen to expand the facility into one of India's largest ports in the coming years, said the release.