Government plans Sagarmala 2.0 with new funding to bridge infrastructure gaps”: Sarbananda Sonowal
NEW DELHI : The 4th National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) meeting focused on accelerating port-led development and strengthening India’s maritime infrastructure. It reviewed key projects under Sagarmala, the flagship programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW).
“These new initiatives under Sagarmala 2.0 will strengthen our maritime economy and help us transition into a global maritime powerhouse,” Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal told reporters ahead of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee’s meeting here on Wednesday.
The Ministry is implementing 839 projects worth Rs. 5,79,000 crore (US$ 67.12 billion), with 272 projects completed at an investment of Rs. 1,41,000 crore (US$ 16.35 billion). Under Sagarmala, 234 port modernisation projects worth Rs. 2,91,000 crore (US$ 33.74 billion) are in progress, with 103 completed, adding 230 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity. In connectivity, 279 projects worth Rs. 2,06,000 crore (US$ 23.88 billion) are underway, with 92 completed, enhancing 1,500 km of port links. Port-led industrialisation saw 14 projects worth Rs. 55,000 crore (US$ 6.38 billion), with nine completed. Additionally, over 310 projects worth Rs. 26,000 crore (US$ 3.01 billion) under Coastal Community Development and Inland Waterways have benefitted over 30,000 fishermen and coastal infrastructure. The Ministry has also allocated Rs. 10,000 crore (US$ 1.16 billion) for 119 projects across coastal states and union territories (UTs) under Sagarmala.
Sagarmala 2.0 aims to advance shipbuilding, repair, breaking, and recycling with Rs. 40,000 crore (US$ 4.64 billion) in budgetary support, targeting Rs. 12,00,000 crore (US$ 139.11 billion) investments over the next decade. The initiative has enhanced India’s global maritime standing, with coastal shipping growing 118% in a decade, inland waterway cargo rising 700%, and nine Indian ports ranking among the world’s top 100. The meeting also launched the Sagarmala Startup Innovation Initiative (S2I2) to drive maritime innovation in green shipping, smart ports, and logistics. He emphasised the programme’s role in realising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat by 2047. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) aims to position India among the top five shipbuilding nations by expanding port handling capacity to 10 billion metric tonnes annually. The Government reaffirmed its commitment to maritime excellence, sustainable coastal growth, and fostering innovation through targeted initiatives like S2I2 and Sagarmala 2.0.