Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways(MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal will preside over a meeting of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) on Friday, May 6, 2022, at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
Objective of the meeting
The National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) is the apex organisation that sets policies and oversees the implementation of port-led development-Sagarmala projects and in this meeting, it will assess the Sagarmala initiative, as well as the development of port-linked road and rail connectivity projects, the development of floating jetties and inland waterways, and other agenda items. The gathering will also examine the holistic development of coastal areas through a new project called the ‘Sagartat Samriddhi Yojana.
About Sagartat Samridhi Yojana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Sagarmala – Sagartat Samridhi Yojana during the release of “Maritime India Vision 2030” in March 2021. MoPSW formulated this detailed project to address challenges in coastal areas of the nation. The Sagartat Samriddhi Yojna has identified a total of 1,049 projects with an estimated cost of Rs. 3,62,229 crores. Coastal Infrastructure Development, Coastal Tourism, Coastal Industrial Development, and Coastal Community Development are the four key areas in which this initiative falls.
Sagarmala Programme
India’s maritime sector has long been the mainstay of the country’s trade and has expanded significantly over time. The Government of India has launched the ambitious Sagarmala Programme to encourage port-led development in the country, taking advantage of India’s 7,500 km of coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways, and strategic placement on vital international marine trade routes.
The Central and State Governments administer 12 main ports and approximately 200 non-major ports in India. As India’s maritime route accounts for about 90% of the country’s trading volume, there is a constant need to enhance the country’s ports and trade-related infrastructure in order to boost manufacturing growth and support the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
As a part of Sagarmala Programme, currently, there are 202 projects out of the total 802 projects worth Rs. 99,281 crore have been accomplished, 216 projects worth Rs. 2.12 crore are being implemented, and 384 projects worth Rs. 2.37 crore are in various phases of development. Sagarmala projects include projects from various categories such as modernisation of existing ports and terminals, new ports, terminals, RoRo & tourism jetties, enhancement of port connectivity, inland waterways, lighthouse tourism, industrialization around the port, skill development, technology centres, etc. 14 projects with an estimated investment of Rs. 1,25,776 crore related to the development of new ports are spread across coastal states/ union territories including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Tamil Nadu.
The ministry had reported an astounding 6.94 per cent increase in traffic movement in FY2021-22 over the previous fiscal year (Y-o-Y). During the year, traffic at the country’s five major ports reached a record high.
The scheme’s projects have been classified into five categories namely, Port modernization & new port development, Port connectivity enhancement, Port-led industrialization, Coastal community development and Coastal shipping and Inland water transport.
This Apex Committee meeting is inclined to take the Sagarmala Project to new heights ensuring the timely completion of current projects and the incorporation of new maritime development projects through the PM GatiShakti initiative.
