Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 2 said the government was keen on strengthening its maritime muscle for the overall development of the country.
Mr. Modi addressed the gathering after launching several completed projects and laying the foundation stone for new ones related to New Mangalore Port Authority and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited to the tune of ₹3,800 crore. A few hours earlier, the prime minister had flagged off the country’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, INS Vikranth, in Kochi and dedicated it to the nation.
Realising the importance of ports, Mr. Modi said, the government had been strengthening port-related infrastructure in a big way. Nearly 150 new projects were identified for port connectivity across the country while several were already completed. Because of several initiatives, capacity of Indian ports has almost doubled in the last eight years, which was equal to capacities created since Independence till 2014.
The government was keen on green growth and green job creation, Mr. Modi said, adding that focus utilisation of natural gas imported through ports would help in green development.
‘Double engine’ development
The Prime Minister also spoke about development in Karnataka through the “double engine” government and said highway projects worth over ₹1 lakh crore were in the pipeline in the state. Projects worth ₹70,000 crore were completed in eight years, he added. The Railways has also witnessed four times growth while railway electrification was being implemented in a speedy manner.
Focus was on exploiting the potential of the 7,500 km coastline of the country by developing tourism and allied industries. With economic growth, people in the country too could afford cruise tourism while ports were prepared to handle cruise vessels. NMPA had handled over 25,000 cruise tourists in the last season, he noted.
Projects under Sagarmala scheme
Speaking earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai said some people were questioning what the “double engine” government had done in the development sector. “Under Sagarmala scheme, 18 projects were completed and 12 projects were sanctioned by the Shipping Ministry for Karnataka. The Centre has modified the Coastal Regulation Zone in Karnataka to facilitate tourism development. It also approved a port at Majali in Uttara Kannada district at a cost of ₹350 crore,” he said.
Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Shipping Minister Sarbanand Sonowal and others were present.
