Sagarmala National Perspective Plan Released
Sagarmala National Perspective Plan Released
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today released the
National Perspective Plan detailing the contours of Sagarmala,
the government’s flagship program to promote port-led development in the
country at the inauguration of the Maritime India Summit in Mumbai.
The National Perspective Plan has been crafted after
detailed consultations with key stakeholders in the central and state
governments, public sector companies as well as private players from shipping,
ports, ship-building, power, cement and steel sectors. It takes forward Sagarmala’s vision of substantially reducing export-import
and domestic trade costs with a minimal investment.
Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and
Highways Sh. Nitin Gadkari later talking to newspersons said promoting water
transportation is priority of the Government as it will considerably reduce the
logistics cost which is very high in India compared to China and European
nations.
The report estimates that the program could lead to
annual logistics cost savings of close to Rs 35,000 crore and boost India’s merchandise exports to $110 billion
by 2025. About one crore new jobs are estimated to be
created, of which 40 lakhs will be direct employment.
This plan is based on four strategic levers –
optimizing multi-modal transport to reduce the cost of domestic cargo,
minimizing the time and cost of export-import cargo logistics, lowering costs
for bulk industries by locating them closer to the coast, and improving export
competitiveness by locating discrete manufacturing clusters near ports.
With a coastline of about 7,500kms covering 13 states
and Union Territories, India enjoysa strategic
location on key international trade routes. Nations like the United States,
Japan, Korea and more recently, China, have leveraged their coastline and
waterways to drive industrial development. The Sagarmala
programme, led by the Ministry of Shipping, aims to
replicate these successes in India.
The potential for port-led development has for long
been constrained in India by high logistics cost, long lead-times and poor
linkages between industrial and logistics infrastructure. Growth was hindered by inadequate and poor port
capacity. Transportation by waterways has historically remained under utilised in India although waterways are significantly
cheaper compared to road and railways. The Sagarmala
National Perspective Plan identifies specific opportunities for transportation
of commodities such as thermal coal, fertilisers, foodgrains, cement and steel by coastal shipping and inland
waterways.
Sagarmala aims to deliver impact through over 150 projects and
initiatives in four broad areas. To modernize India’s port infrastructure, 5 to
6 new ports have been proposed to be built. Additionally over 40
port-capacity enhancement projects will be taken up. Besides increasing
capacity, these projects will result in a more modern port infrastructure
through the mechanization of berths and deepening of drafts to accommodate
larger vessels.
The second focus area is port connectivity, where
over 80 projects are being planned. These include connectivity infrastructure
projects like a heavy-haul rail corridor to evacuate large volumes of coal in Odisha, freight-friendly expressways to enable efficient
movement of containers on key routes, and the development of strategic inland
waterways.
The third set of projects aims to tap into the
potential of port-led industrialization to boost industrial and export
growth along the coastline. This will be realized through 14 Coastal Economic
Zones (CEZs) along the coastline, each of which will
house a number of industrial clusters. The clusters will have industries from
the energy, bulk materials as well as discrete manufacturing segments, all of
which will be able to use high-quality infrastructure which is fully-integrated
with the corresponding ports.
Finally, the potential of coastal communities
will be harnessed by focused skill-development to support port-led
industrialization. The set of initiatives under this head also includes
developing opportunities for fishermen and other coastal communities as well as
development of the numerous islands along India’s coastline. In terms of
economic impact, the program envisages investments of close to Rs 4 lakh crore
to flow into infrastructure.
The Sagarmala program has
taken shape using the government’s core philosophy of cooperative federalism.
Keeping this in mind, the National Perspective Plan was drawn up with
stakeholder consultations in parallel. Momentum on some key projects and
initiatives has already picked up even as the plan is being released. Detailed
project reports are being drafted for some of the new ports identified in the
plan as well as for the connectivity projects like the heavy haul rail
corridor. A separate perspective plan for the CEZs
and a detailed master plan for major ports are also in the works.
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"This is the right time to come to India via sea route" - PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Maritime India Summit in Mumbai; asserts government's resolve to restore India's position in global maritime sector
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Maritime India Summit in Mumbai; asserts government's resolve to restore India's position in global maritime sector
Prime
Minister Mr. Narendra Modi today inaugurated the maiden Maritime India
Summit in Mumbai, asserting his government's resolve to restore India's
position in global maritime sector. "We Indians are inheritors of a
glorious maritime heritage and world's first dock was built at Lothal in
Gujarat, during the Harappan civilization, Building upon our glorious
maritime tradition, we are working hard to achieve new heights in this
area" he said.
Stressing on the importance of maritime transport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that everyone should make sure that our lifestyle, transport systems and trading behaviour do not spoil the ecology of the oceans. He also said, the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar, on whose 125th birth anniversary, the Maritime India Summit was being inaugurated, was also the architect of the water and navigation policy in India.
The Prime Minister said India's vast coastline of 7500 kilometers offers a huge investment opportunity. " Apart from the length of the coastline, India's maritime potential also lies in its strategic location on all major shipping highways. In addition, we have an expansive and productive hinterland, through which flows a network of mighty rivers" Mr. Modi added.
Elaborating on the measures taken by his government to promote ease of doing business under 'Make In India' programme, the Prime Minister said India plans to mobilize an investment of One trillion rupees (Rs 1 lakh crores) in the port sector to channelize economic growth. Mr. Modi said five new ports are planned to meet the increasing demand of the Exim trade which will rise in proportion with the fast-growing Indian economy.
Prime Minister said India wants to modernize ports & integrate them with SEZs, Port based Smart Cities, Industrial Parks, Warehouses, Logistics Parks. Mr. Modi said the Ministry of Shipping was showcasing about 250 projects with investment opportunity in the Maritime Sector. These projects include various infrastructure development opportunities in 12 Major Ports, projects in eight maritime states and other agencies.
The Prime Minister also informed the port sector gathering from around the world, that India was also promoting coastal shipping in a big way and developing 14,000 kms of navigable inland waterways in the country. "My Government is committed to integration in infrastructure. We are also committed to creating an enabling environment for investors and to facilitate investments with an open mind" Mr. Modi asserted.
"I call upon the global business community to partner with us to give shape to our process of port led development. I am sure, the long coastline of India along with diverse coastal regions and hard working coastal communities can become an engine of growth of India" Mr. Modi added.
Speaking on the occasion, South Korean Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Mr Kim Young-Suk welcomed the reform measures taken by the Indian government in opening up the port sector. He said, South Korea, which has considerable expertise in port and shipping sector, was ready to help India to modernize its ports and develop the shipping industry.
Union Shipping Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari spoke about the importance of maritime sector and how the vision of Prime Minister about port-led development was transforming the port and water transport infrastructure sector.
The Governor of Maharashtra Mr. C Vidyasagar Rao, Maharshtra Chief Minister, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Ms. Anandiben Patel, MoS Shipping, Mr. P. Radhakrishnan, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Mr. Kitack Lim were prominent among those present at the inauguration.
Earlier, the Prime Minister visited a Maritime heritage museum, built in the shape of ship and also interacted with top global CEOs of the port and shipping sector.
About the Maritime India Summit
The three day Maritime India Summit is aimed at attracting potential investors to the vast opportunities that the various components of the Maritime Sector have on offer. It is showcasing projects covering sectors like port development and modernization, Greenfield ports, port led development under “Sagarmala”, shipbuilding, ship repair and ship breaking, inland water transportation, coastal shipping, lighthouse tourism and cruise shipping, hinterland connectivity and logistics handling facilities to the potential investors from across the world.
Stressing on the importance of maritime transport, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that everyone should make sure that our lifestyle, transport systems and trading behaviour do not spoil the ecology of the oceans. He also said, the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar, on whose 125th birth anniversary, the Maritime India Summit was being inaugurated, was also the architect of the water and navigation policy in India.
The Prime Minister said India's vast coastline of 7500 kilometers offers a huge investment opportunity. " Apart from the length of the coastline, India's maritime potential also lies in its strategic location on all major shipping highways. In addition, we have an expansive and productive hinterland, through which flows a network of mighty rivers" Mr. Modi added.
Elaborating on the measures taken by his government to promote ease of doing business under 'Make In India' programme, the Prime Minister said India plans to mobilize an investment of One trillion rupees (Rs 1 lakh crores) in the port sector to channelize economic growth. Mr. Modi said five new ports are planned to meet the increasing demand of the Exim trade which will rise in proportion with the fast-growing Indian economy.
Prime Minister said India wants to modernize ports & integrate them with SEZs, Port based Smart Cities, Industrial Parks, Warehouses, Logistics Parks. Mr. Modi said the Ministry of Shipping was showcasing about 250 projects with investment opportunity in the Maritime Sector. These projects include various infrastructure development opportunities in 12 Major Ports, projects in eight maritime states and other agencies.
The Prime Minister also informed the port sector gathering from around the world, that India was also promoting coastal shipping in a big way and developing 14,000 kms of navigable inland waterways in the country. "My Government is committed to integration in infrastructure. We are also committed to creating an enabling environment for investors and to facilitate investments with an open mind" Mr. Modi asserted.
"I call upon the global business community to partner with us to give shape to our process of port led development. I am sure, the long coastline of India along with diverse coastal regions and hard working coastal communities can become an engine of growth of India" Mr. Modi added.
Speaking on the occasion, South Korean Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Mr Kim Young-Suk welcomed the reform measures taken by the Indian government in opening up the port sector. He said, South Korea, which has considerable expertise in port and shipping sector, was ready to help India to modernize its ports and develop the shipping industry.
Union Shipping Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari spoke about the importance of maritime sector and how the vision of Prime Minister about port-led development was transforming the port and water transport infrastructure sector.
The Governor of Maharashtra Mr. C Vidyasagar Rao, Maharshtra Chief Minister, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Ms. Anandiben Patel, MoS Shipping, Mr. P. Radhakrishnan, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Mr. Kitack Lim were prominent among those present at the inauguration.
Earlier, the Prime Minister visited a Maritime heritage museum, built in the shape of ship and also interacted with top global CEOs of the port and shipping sector.
About the Maritime India Summit
The three day Maritime India Summit is aimed at attracting potential investors to the vast opportunities that the various components of the Maritime Sector have on offer. It is showcasing projects covering sectors like port development and modernization, Greenfield ports, port led development under “Sagarmala”, shipbuilding, ship repair and ship breaking, inland water transportation, coastal shipping, lighthouse tourism and cruise shipping, hinterland connectivity and logistics handling facilities to the potential investors from across the world.
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