The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is likely to hold a significant meeting of the State Maritime & Waterways Transport Committees (SMWTCs) on Tuesday.
This virtual meeting aims to discuss the holistic development of maritime and waterways transport across India and extend its reach to encompass all remaining states.
Key Focus Areas:
An official statement released on Saturday confirmed that T K Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry, will chair the meeting. It will focus on several critical areas:
- Development of state-specific Maritime & Waterways
- Transport Master Plans
- Formulation of Maritime Sector Policies
- Implementation of Green Initiatives
- Expansion of Waterways Development
- Promotion of Cruise Tourism
- Enhancement of Urban Water Transportation
- Development of Lighthouses
Unified Approach For Integrated Management:
The Ministry has emphasized the necessity for a coordinated strategy to effectively manage and integrate the waterways transportation sector.
To this end, State Maritime & Waterways Transport Committees have been established to oversee various initiatives and schemes within each state.
These committees will play a crucial role in consolidating efforts and providing focused leadership in the maritime and waterways sector.
Composition Of Committees:
Each state committee is led by the Chief Secretary or Additional Chief Secretary and includes representatives from major ports, maritime boards, state PWD, Inland Waterways, Department of Tourism, Department of Fisheries, Railways, NHAI, and Customs.
Currently, SMWTCs have been set up in 13 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Bihar, Assam, Goa, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Lakshadweep.
Plans are underway to establish these committees in all 30 coastal and waterways states and UTs across India.
Agenda & Objectives:
The agenda for the meeting includes:
- Reviewing the progress made by the existing SMWTCs
- Discussing challenges faced by different states
- Evaluating the implementation of the Sagarmala Programme
- Developing the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal
- Exploring opportunities in Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax/Ferry/Urban Water Transportation
- Establishing Sagarmala Shipbuilding Clusters
- Implementing the Harit Nauka (Green Transition) Scheme for Inland Waterways
- Promoting Cargo
- Forming MoUs with States for Coastal and River Cruise Tourism
- Supporting State Inland Waterway Transport
Chief Secretaries and Additional Chief Secretaries, as Chairpersons of SMWTCs, will present the progress in their respective states, discuss state-specific issues, and highlight the support needed from the Ministry.
The meeting aims to review progress, address issues, and foster collaborative solutions to enhance maritime and waterways transport in India.
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