India Earmarks $7.1 bln to Expand, Modernise Major Ports
Expansion, modernization and up-gradation of Major Ports in India is an ongoing process to keep the ports abreast with new technologies and also to promote trade and cargo.
62 Public–private partnership (PPP) Projects with an investment of Rs.49,049 crore ($7.1 bn) are under implementation and operation. For the year 2016-17, 33 projects with an investment of Rs.9,845 crore have been taken up.
Port Master Plans for 12 major ports have been prepared keeping in view the requirements for cargo handling till 2035. A total of 142 Port Modernization projects have been identified in the Master Plans. These identified projects will be taken up for implementation in phases.
9 Fishing Harbour projects of total cost of Rs.627 crore have also been identified for implementation in convergence mode with Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairies and Fisheries.
An amount of Rs.50 crore has earmarked during 2016-17 for development of landing facilities and jetties in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and navigational facilities in Lakshadweep group of Islands.
Six potential port locations have been identified, namely- Vadhavan (Maharashtra), Sagar Island (West Bengal), Paradip Outer Harbour (Odisha), Enayam (Tamil Nadu), Sirkazhi (Tamil Nadu) and Belekeri(Karnataka).
Three Coastal Economic Zones (CEZs) have been identified in Gujarat. The probable districts to be covered in these CEZs are Junagarh, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, Anand, Vadodra, Bharuch, Surat, Navsari and Valsad.
