- विज्ञापन -
Guwahati: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday announced multiple initiatives by the government to boost the waterways and maritime sector in the region.
“With an investment of Rs 5,000 crore earmarked, the Union Government has drawn up major initiatives in this regard,” Sarbananda Sonowal said.
He said that, over the past 11 years, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has transformed India’s maritime sector with record growth in cargo handling, capacity and coastal shipping. Major ports have nearly doubled their capacity, cruise tourism is rising with ambitious new terminals, and 50,000 youth from the Northeast will be trained for maritime jobs.
“Key legislative and digital reforms, green shipping initiatives, and projects like the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project are strengthening regional connectivity and trade. India’s ports are now globally competitive, with nine ranking in the World Bank’s top 100, and Visakhapatnam Port reaching the top 20,” Sonowal said.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have revitalised India’s maritime sector as never before. From historic growth in port capacity and cargo handling to pioneering green shipping, cruise tourism and skill development for our youth — these achievements reflect the Modi government’s unwavering commitment to make India a global maritime powerhouse and drive inclusive development across every coastal and riverine region.”
At the press conference, the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the government aims to train 50,000 youth from the region in maritime skills over the next decade, offering them assured employment opportunities in the growing sector.
“The Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati as well as the upcoming Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dibrugarh aims to power this transformation. The CoE will be developed with an investment of Rs 200 crore. Both the centres are likely to produce 500 jobs annually,” he said.
Sonowal said, “PM Modi has always envisioned how Yuva Shakti can bring about real transformation in the country. Our vision is to train, enable and empower 50,000 youth from the Northeast with world-class maritime skills over the next decade, ensuring meaningful employment & growth. Our centres in Guwahati and Dibrugarh will be the backbone of this transformation.”
He said that the Ministry has undertaken projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the Northeast’s inland waterways sector over the past two years, with Rs 300 crore works completed and Rs 700 crore slated for completion by 2025.
“Major initiatives include permanent cargo terminals at Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Bogibeel, Karimganj and Badarpur; year-round fairway dredging; a new approach road to Pandu Port; heritage restoration in Dibrugarh; tourist jetties worth Rs 299 crore; skill development centres at Guwahati and Dibrugarh; and plans for lighthouses at Bogibeel, Biswanath Ghat, Silghat and Pandu. Feasibility studies has been completed and found feasible for operation in Guwahati, Tezpur and Dibrugarh, and cruise vessels are being procured under central schemes. For Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, the efforts are on to expand IWT infrastructure and promote water-based tourism. The operationalisation of Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) offers new trade routes bypassing the Siliguri Corridor, strengthening regional connectivity and aligning with the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Sonowal said.
