Sagarmala is a series of projects to leverage the country’s coastline and inland waterways to drive port led development. It is a mammoth project with a total outlay of 8 lakh crore spread across four broad areas.
- Modernisation of port infrastructure
- Improve port connectivity
- Development of coastal community
- Create coastal economic zones
Challenges:
- It is an ambitious project and require huge funding.(source of funding)
- The competitive advantage of ports in Colombo, Dubai, Singapore and the commercial viability of Indian ports.
- Threat to marine ecosystem. Trenching of coastal area. Disposal of sediment will be an issue.
- Opposition by coastal communities, rehabilitation issue.
The potential of sagarmala is huge. Prospect of sagarmala are as follows:
- Opening up of new industry. India can utilise its undiscovered potential of transhipment hub.
- Strategically it will help to counter China’s MSR.
- Creation of employment opportunities.
- Trade facilitation ,reducing burden on rail and road transportation.
- Increased port revenue and development of coastal economic zone.