IMPROVEMENT OF MARITIME INFRASTRUCTURE

Posted Date:- Jul 25, 2023

The objective of ‘Act East Policy’ is to promote economic cooperation, cultural ties and develop strategic relationship with countries in the Asia-Pacific region by providing enhanced connectivity to the State of North Eastern Region with other countries in India’s neighborhood.  Recognizing the significance of rivers for connectivity and prosperity, 20 rivers in the North East were declared as National Waterways under the National Waterways Act, 2016. To improve the waterway connectivity within the North East Area to facilitate enhancing trade expansion strategies, Government approved 05 projects at a total cost of INR 1126 cr. for development of the Inland Water Transport (IWT) infrastructure on National Waterways in the North-Eastern Region (NER). The details of IWT projects is annexed [Annexure-I]

Further, Sagarmala programme is the 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. As a part of Sagarmala Programme more than 400 projects at an estimated cost of around Rs. 2.55 Lakh Crore have been identified for implementation in the eastern coast of India.  Sagarmala projects includes 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 port, skill development, technology centres, etc.

There is a specific focus on regional connectivity initiatives which act as force multipliers for regional growth and development while enhancing people to people contact and enhancing economic cooperation. Port of Vishakhapatnam and SPMK Port at Kolkata have been notified Gateway Port to meet the transit requirement of EXIM cargo of Nepal. On the eastern coast, Bangladesh has notified the Vishakhapatnam Port as ‘transhipment port of call’ for its container cargo in view of the location and connectivity advantages. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has undertaken projects for connectivity of NE States with neighboring countries like Myanmar & Bangladesh. 

Annexure-I

This information was given by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.