58 Leaders from 40 Political Parties attended Meeting (See 'Corp Brief') Odisha's New Coastal Highway: A Gateway to Spiritual Journeys (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Foreign subsidiary assets must remain separate from parent company's insolvency proceedings: NCLAT (See 'Legal Desk') Vaishnaw flags Off Ramnagar-Dehradun Express (See 'Corp Brief') Centre provides extended Relief Window for Select Solar Projects up to December (See 'Corp Brief') Arbitration and Conciliation - A supervisory court lacks power to modify an award or grant fresh substantive reliefs, rendering petitioner's prayer for active domain transfer legally unmaintainable: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Vivek Nishant Nath takes charge as Director (Commercial), NMDC (See 'Corp Brief') Aadhaar App crosses 40 Million Downloads, Driving Convenient Digital Identity Services (See 'Corp Brief') Arbitration - Scope of interference under Section 37 of the Act is highly circumscribed & does not permit re-appreciation of evidence or fresh factual determination on matters of accounting: HC (See 'Legal Desk') PM lays bricks for 150-bed state-of-the-art Critical Care Block at PGIMER (See 'Corp Brief') Govt to release Revised Index of Core Industries Series with Base Year 2022-23 (See 'Corp Brief') 4th Edition of IICA's National Conference on Responsible Business Conduct held in Delhi (See 'Corp Brief') Capital Market - AMC/ Fund houses cannot, on grounds of commercial expediency or investor benefit, unilaterally extend maturity of securities and delay redemption of scheme proceeds: SC (See 'Legal Desk') MSDE extends Special Intervention under PM-NAPS to Boost Apprenticeship (See 'Corp Brief') Centre for Trade and Investment Law launches guidebook to help Indian MSMEs expand into global markets (See 'Corp Brief') Misc - Metro depot is indispensable part of metro rail project and therefore squarely falls within public purpose: SC (See 'Legal Desk') Goyal leads High-Level Delegation to Finland to Strengthen Trade and Investment Ties (See 'Corp Brief') Over 75 Industries join ICAR CSR Conclave 2026 (See 'Corp Brief') Misc - Inclusion of royalty, DMF and NMET in sale value under Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 2017, is valid measure for computation of average sale price and does not alter nature of royalty u/s 9 of MMDR Act: SC (See 'Legal Desk') Tech Innovation and disruption in Construction Industry (See 'CORP EINSICHT')

22 Sagarmala projects worth Rs. 1,225 crore sanctioned in Tamil Nadu: Sonowal

Published: Jul 31, 2024

By TIOLCorplaws News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 31, 2024: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, presented a detailed overview of the various questions raised in today's Rajya Sabha session. He highlighted the government's efforts to enhance cargo movement through National Waterways (NWs). The Minister outlined several key initiatives to improve the efficiency of India's inland waterways. Significant fairway development projects are underway under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP), which is supported by the World Bank. These efforts include achieving a Least Available Depth (LAD) of up to 3.0 meters on critical stretches of NW-1, with ongoing works in stretches such as Haldia-Barh and Barh-Ghazipur. Additionally, fairway development is being carried out on NW-97 in the Sunderbans and on Indo-Bangladesh protocol routes to ensure round-the-year navigability.

Sonowal emphasizes the introduction and expansion of Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax services across several routes. The Minister also announced the identification and planned development of 26 new National Waterways. This expansion is intended to offer alternative transportation modes and enhance connectivity across various regions of India.

Digital advancements have been a key focus, with the launch of the CAR-D portal for cargo data management and the PANI portal for detailed asset and navigation information. These platforms are designed to facilitate better stakeholder collaboration, improve organizational consistency, and enhance transparency.

Moreover, recent MoUs were signed to boost cargo and cruise services. Notable agreements include partnerships with Assam Tourism for riverine tourism, Bihar's Department of Tourism for Ro-Pax vessel operations, and Numaligarh Refinery Limited for petroleum product transport. The government is also exploring new National Waterways projects in states such as Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen India's inland water transport infrastructure.

Sarbananda Sonowal also detailed the significant investments and initiatives under the Sagarmala Scheme for Tamil Nadu. Over the past three years, 22 port-related projects totalling Rs. 1,225 crore have been sanctioned, covering port infrastructure, coastal berths, and fish harbours. Additionally, Rs. 410 crore is allocated for four fishing harbour projects, with efforts focused on skill development and economic growth in coastal districts through collaboration with various ministries.

The Minister confirmed that the government has indeed explored the possibilities of increasing floating jetty projects in Tamil Nadu. These projects are part of a broader initiative to enhance coastal infrastructure and improve connectivity.

Regarding the expansion and upgradation of ports, Sonowal outlined significant developments. Notably, V.O. Chidambaram Port has leased 500.82 acres of land to various industries for the development of Green Hydrogen and ammonia plants, reflecting a commitment to sustainable energy and industrial growth.

Overall, the Minister's detailed presentation underscores the government's commitment to developing robust and efficient maritime facilities.

TIOL CORP SEARCH

TIOL GROUP WEBSITES