New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated ‘Maritime India Summit 2021’ and said the government of India aims to operationalise 23 waterways by 2030 as domestic waterways are cost-effective and environment-friendly modes of transportation.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the second edition of the Maritime India Summit through video conferencing.
After the inauguration, PM Modi said the government is investing in waterways in a way that was never seen before. “Domestic waterways are found to be cost effective and environment friendly ways of transporting freight. We aim to operationalise 23 waterways by 2030,” he added.
The Prime Minister also invited the world to come to India and be a part of India’s growth trajectory.
“Through this Summit, I want to invite the world to come to India and be a part of our growth trajectory. India is very sincere about growing in the maritime sector and emerging as leading blue economy of the world,” he added.
PM Modi also informed that India’s leading focus area in maritime sector includes upgrade current infrastructure, create new generation infrastructure and boost the reform journey.
“Through these steps, we aim to give strength to our vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.
The Prime Minister also pointed out that India has as many as 189 lighthouses across its vast coastline adding that, “We have drawn up a programme for developing tourism in the land adjacent to 78 lighthouses.”
The objective of this initiative is to enhance development of the existing lighthouses and its surrounding areas into unique maritime tourism landmarks, he said.
PM Modi also noted that the capacity of major ports have increased from 870 million tonnes in 2014 to 1,550 million tonnes now.
He further stated that the government has recently widened the ambit of the maritime sector by renaming the Ministry of Shipping as Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways so that work happens in a holistic manner.
“The government of India is also focusing on the domestic ship building and ship repair market. To encourage domestic shipbuilding approval has been given to the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy for Indian Shipyards,” PM Modi said.
He further said that more than 574 projects at a cost of 82 billion US Dollars or Rs 6 lakh crores have been identified for implementation during 2015 to 2035 under the Sagarmala project, which was launched in 2016
Apart from this, the Prime Minister said that the government has initiated holistic development of island infrastructure and ecosystem.
He added that the government is keen to promote the use of renewable energy in the maritime sector.
“We are in the process of installing solar and wind-based power systems at all the major ports across the country and aims to increase usage of renewable energy to more than 60 per cent of total energy by 2030 in three phases across Indian ports,” PM Modi said.
During the occasion, the Prime Minister also released e-book of ‘Maritime India Vision-2030’. Maritime India Vision 2030, aims to make the Indian Maritime Industry at par with top global benchmarks in next 10 years.
Minister of Transport of Denmark Benny Englebrecht, Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, Union Ministers Dharmentdra Pradhan and Mansukh Mandaviya were also present on the occasion.
-RJV
