Big Meeting on July 16: India’s Plan to Improve Waterways and Ports
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) of India will hold a significant meeting on July 16. This meeting aims to discuss the comprehensive development of maritime and waterways transport across the country.
Meeting Details
The meeting will start at 10:00 am via video conferencing and will be chaired by TK Ramachandran, Secretary of MoPSW. The focus will be on creating state-specific Maritime and Waterways Transport Master Plans, formulating Maritime Sector Policies, and discussing Green Initiatives, Waterways Development, Cruise Tourism, Urban Water Transportation, and the Development of Lighthouses.
State Maritime and Waterways Transport Committees
The Ministry has established State Maritime and Waterways Transport Committees (SMWTCs) to coordinate various initiatives within each state. These committees will be led by the Chief Secretary or Additional Chief Secretary and will include representatives from major ports, maritime boards, state PWD, Inland Waterways, Department of Tourism, Department of Fisheries, Railways, NHAI, and Customs.
Current and Future Plans
Currently, SMWTCs have been set up in 13 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Bihar, Assam, Goa, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Lakshadweep. The plan is to establish these committees in all 30 coastal and waterways states and Union Territories (UTs) of India.
Agenda for the Meeting
The agenda includes reviewing the progress made by the existing SMWTCs, discussing state-specific issues, and implementing the Sagarmala Programme. Other topics include the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, opportunities in Ro-Ro / Ro-Pax / Ferry / Urban Water Transportation, Sagarmala Shipbuilding Clusters, the Harit Nauka (Green Transition) Scheme for Inland Waterways, Cargo Promotion Scheme, and MoUs with States for Coastal and River Cruise Tourism.
Chief Secretaries and Additional Chief Secretaries will present the progress in their states, discuss SMWTC initiatives, state-specific issues, and the support needed from the Ministry. The goal is to review progress, address issues, and find collaborative solutions to enhance maritime and waterways transport in India.
