The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has prepared a plan under the Sagarmala programme to carry out the “holistic development of coastal areas” with 567 projects totaling Rs 58,700 crore, according to Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Following several engagements with stakeholders, Sonowal told the media after the meeting of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) that the ministry has selected a total of 567 projects under convergence method with an estimated cost of Rs 58,700 crore.
While Sagarmala is a port-led initiative that focuses on logistics cost reduction and EXIM competitiveness, the Holistic Development of Coastal Districts intends to bridge infrastructural gaps in coastal districts and boost economic opportunities, according to him. The minister also said with the addition of projects identified in Holistic Development of Coastal Districts and new project proposals received under Sagarmala, the total number of projects stands at 1537 worth Rs 6.5 lakh crore.
Further, Sonowal said the committee reviewed the progress of the Sagarmala programme and deliberated on various agendas.
“There are 802 projects worth Rs 5.5 lakh crore under the Sagarmala programme targeted to be executed by 2035. Out of which, 202 projects worth Rs 99,281 crore have been completed. A total of 29 projects worth Rs 45,000 crore have been successfully implemented under the PPP model, thus, reducing the financial burden on the exchequer,” he stated.
Additional 32 PPP projects worth Rs 51,000 crore are currently being implemented. Further, there are more than 200 projects worth Rs. 2.12 lakh Crore under construction and expected to be completed in 2 years’ time, he added.
The meeting of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) held on Friday in Vigyan Bhawan was chaired by Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and attended by other Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ashwini Vaishnav, Bhupender Yadav, G Kishan Reddy, Goa CM Pramod Sawant, and other coastal ministers.
The ministry has to date funded 140 projects to the tune of Rs 8,748 crore and is reviewing additional proposals sent by various state governments. More than 200 locations have been identified for the development of floating jetties and 50 locations form part of the phase 1 implementation.
It also was noted that there are 33 fishing harbor projects taken up of which part-funding of 22 fishing harbor projects to the tune of Rs 2,400 crore has been sanctioned. Under the program, MoPSW has implemented various large-scale projects since its inception. These projects range from port modernization, connectivity, industrialization, community development, coastal shipping, and inland waterways development.
