The projects under one of the flagship programmes of the Centre — Sagarmala — are moving at slow pace as only about 25 per cent of total projects under the scheme are complete as of now.The Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has taken cognizance of the ‘slow progress’ and sought a detailed report from the ministry of ports, shipping, and waterways or the delays. The panel also wants to know whether there has been cost escalation and time overrun as compared to original cost and timeline of the projects due to the holdup.
The Sagarmala was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2015. PM Narendra Modi released the Sagarmala National Perspective Plan, 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, in April 2016. The Centre approved 802 projects under the programme.
According to the panel’s 327th report on ‘connectivity and tourism facilities at port’, out of 802 projects, 202 projects have been completed, 216 projects are under implementation while 384 are under various stages of development.
Noting that only about 25 per cent of the total projects under Sagarmala are complete, the panel has recommended accelerating the progress. “The panel expresses serious concern at the slow progress of work and recommends that Sagarmala, being a crucial step in the progress of India’s shipping sector, which seeks to bring about port connectivity, needs to be expedited…,” read the report of the panel headed by Rajya Sabha MP TG Venkatesh.
