Pon Radhakrishnan, the Minister of State for Shipping and Finance has informed the Lok Sabha that under the Sagarmala Programme, 243 projects have been identified for enhancing the infrastructure at Indian ports upto 2035. The total cost for enhancing the infrastructure at these Indian ports will cost around Rs, 142,989 crore.
Out of these 243 projects, 44 projects have been completed and 79 projects are under implementation, the minister informed in a written reply to Lok Sabha. The 44 completed port projects has cost Rs. 8549 crore while Rs. 36,399 crore is required to enhance the infrastructure of 79 projects which are under implementation.
These port projects are being implemented by Major Port Trusts, State Maritime Boards, State Government/UTs and Private Sector.
The Minister further informed that in the last two Financial years (FY2016-17 and FY2017-18) 12 Major ports have spent Rs. 5,431 crore and would spend Rs. 4,552 crore in the current Financial year ( FY2018-19) for developing infrastructure. The Ministry of Shipping has contributed Rs. 446 crore to various implementing agencies in last two years for 35 port infrastructure projects costing Rs. 1,879 Crore.
The Government has allowed private sector participation in the development of new ports and development of infrastructure at existing ports. More than 67 projects costing Rs. 89,567 crore from major ports are being implemented by Private sector under PPP model. There are 34 existing private ports where port infrastructure are being developed by Private Sector.
@EPC World Media
