As a part of the Sagarmala programme, 110 projects, worth more than ₹1 lakh crore, have been identified in Andhra Pradesh for enhancing infrastructure related to port-led industrialisation, port modernisation, port connectivity enhancement, coastal community development, coastal shipping and inland waterways.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal shared this information during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, in response to a question by Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy about the steps being taken by the Central government to promote the development of Andhra Pradesh as a key logistics hub along the East Coast.
“These projects are implemented by the Union Ministries, lnland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), State government, and the Visakhapatnam Port Authority. Under the Sagarmala project, the Centre is partially funding nine projects worth ₹1,286 crore in Andhra Pradesh,” the Union Minister said.
The State Maritime & Waterway Transport Committee (SMWTC) was constituted to coordinate and implement an array of initiatives and schemes in the maritime sector. The aim was to coordinate various initiatives and to foster collaboration between the State and Central agencies to ensure comprehensive development of maritime and waterways transport in the State.
