New Delhi: The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, has announced a comprehensive package of initiatives worth Rs 5,000 crore to enhance the waterways and maritime infrastructure in India’s Northeast region.
Key highlights include the establishment of maritime skill centres in Guwahati and Dibrugarh, aimed at training 50,000 youth over the next decade, and the development of 85 community jetties and 100 modern cargo barges by 2025. A Rs 610 crore investment has been earmarked for deploying dredgers to ensure year-round navigability of the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers.
The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project, linking India and Myanmar via Mizoram, is set for completion by 2027, opening up new trade corridors across Southeast Asia. Additionally, tourism infrastructure will receive a Rs 300 crore boost, with cruise terminals, jetties and lighthouses being planned in key locations.
Sonowal said these efforts align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Act East” policy and vision of inclusive growth, transforming the Northeast into a key hub for trade, tourism, and employment.
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