Gadkari to discuss costal security during Maritime India Summit

Union Road Transport & Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari is eyeing the upcoming Maritime India summit as a big platform to discuss coastal security issue. Also, the summit, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai, will alone see investments to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore in the sector.

Giving details about the three-day Maritime India Summit, which is scheduled to start on April 14, Gadkari said, “Coastal security is a serious concern. Keeping this in mind, there will be a separate session on this subject.”

“Though maintaining security of the coastal line is the prime responsibility of coast guard, the Shipping Ministry is providing all types of coordination and cooperation to make it watertight. I am hopeful that the government will move ahead, with an appropriate policy in consultation with international partners, at the summit,” the minister added.

“We have developed very good relationship with China, which is a pioneer in the shipping sector. We will get support from China on coastal security,” Gadkari said, while addressing reporters at Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia.

On the registration of ships, the minister said, “On the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have decided to review our all past laws and work is on to make our laws at par with international standard. We have to move the revamped law in the Cabinet and then after its approval it will come into force.” While projecting the government’s ambitious Sagarmala project as a hub of employment generation, Gadkari said that it would provide employment to over 1 crore people in the next five years. 

The minister also stressed that on the advice of the Prime Minister, the ministry was considering to complete the Sagarmala project in five years, which was earlier slated to be completed in 10 years.

“One crore jobs will be created under Sagarmala project only in the shipping and ports sector. The jobs will include 40 lakh direct and 60 lakh indirect employment”, he said.

 “Some 40 countries in addition to India with Republic of Korea as the partner country will participate in the summit. The Sagarmala has the potential to reduce logistic costs of shipping,” he said, adding that a Port Rail Connectivity Corporation has been created with the responsibility of connecting industrial hubs to various ports by trains that would help the economy grow.