The government’s flagship 'Sagarmala’ projects, aimed at creating mega coastal economic zones (CEZs), got a big push on Thursday with finance minister Arun Jaitley earmarking Rs 168.57 crore for port development and modernisation of major ports for 2018-19.
As part of Sagarmala Programme, more than 400 projects have been identified for implementation, during 2015-2035, across the areas of port modernization & new port development, port connectivity enhancement, port-linked industrialisation, and coastal community development. Out of these, 199 focus projects are phased out up to 2019.
The Sagarmala Programme seeks to reduce logistics cost and time for merchandise exports and imports, as also domestic cargo. CEZs, Coastal Economic Units (CEUs) and Port-Linked Industrial Clusters have been envisaged as mega seaside industrial conclaves as part of the umbrella Sagarmala Programm