Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: As many as 272 projects, worth around Rs. 1.41 lakh crore, have been completed under the Centre’s flagship Sagarmala programme.
Out of this, 103 completed projects under the ‘modernisation pillar’ have resulted in expanding the country’s port capacity by more than 528 million tonnes per annum, Parliament was informed recently.
Sagarmala programme is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to promote port-led development in the country through harnessing India’s 7,500-km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key international maritime trade routes, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal told the House, reported IANS.
There were a total of 839 projects worth Rs 5.79 lakh crore included in the Sagarmala Programme. These are categorised into five pillars – port modernisation, port connectivity, port-led industrialisation, coastal community development, and coastal shipping & inland water transport, the minister said.
These projects are implemented by the Central ministries, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Indian Railways, state governments and major ports.
Coastal Community Development is a dedicated pillar of the Sagarmala programme. This pillar focuses on improving the living standards of the coastal communities by enhancing their livelihood opportunities, primarily through skill development, capacity building, and increasing access to sustainable economic activities, Sonowal said.
In answer to another question, the minister said that the Centre has plans to develop four port clusters, including the Cochin-Vizhinjam Port cluster, Galathea South Bay Port, Chennai-Kamarajar-Cuddalore Port cluster and Paradip.
