Andhra Pradesh to get projects worth `1 lakh cr under Sagarmala: Sonowal

Vijayawada/Visakhapatnam: Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said the Union Government has identified about 120 projects with an estimated investment of more than Rs 1 lakh crore under the Sagarmala project.

Responding to a question by YSRCP MP V Vijayasai Reddy in Rajya Sabha, he said the 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. The main vision of the Sagarmala programme is to reduce logistics cost for EXIM and domestic trade with minimal infrastructure investment.

As part of Sagarmala programme, more than 800 projects at an estimated cost of around Rs 5.5 lakh crore have been identified for implementation during 2015-2035 across all coastal States on Eastern and Western side of the country.

Sonowal said Sagarmala 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, industrialisation around port, skill development and technology centres.

The Minister said about 120 projects worth more than Rs 1lakh crore have been identified under Sagarmala in Andhra pradesh for enhancing the infrastructure related to port-led industrialisation, port modernisation, port connectivity enhancement, coastal community development and coastal shipping and inland waterways. These projects are implemented by Central Ministries, Inland Waterways Authority, Indian Railways, NHAI, State Governments and major ports.