Massive funding to AP under Sagarmala: Ports Min Sonowal
13 projects in AP valued around Rs2,500 crore are currently receiving financial assistance
Visakhapatnam: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that the Centre is funding liberally to Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) and other projects in Andhra Pradesh under Sagarmala Mission.
In response to a question by Krishna Prasad Tenneti and YS Avinash Reddy in the Lok Sabha, he said that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways had received 29 proposals from Andhra Pradesh worth approximately Rs3,300 crore covering various projects including port development, coastal berths and fish landing centers.
He highlighted 13 projects in Andhra Pradesh valued around Rs2,500 crore are currently receiving financial assistance under Sagarmala. These projects include Ro-Pax and passenger jetties, fishing harbors, port modernisation and skill development. The ministry has already sanctioned Rs.450 crore for development of these projects.
Additionally, Visakhapatnam Port Authority and IWAI have undertaken 36 projects in Andhra Pradesh with a combined
investment of Rs4,600 crore. Among these, 22 projects worth Rs2,530 crore have been completed, while 14 projects worth Rs2,070 crore are in various stages of implementation. A state of art International Cruise cum coastal Terminal at Visakhapatnam Port has been built to cater to the needs of passengers from around the world. Projects having high social impact but with no return or low Internal Rate of Return are being provided financial assistance under the Sagarmala Scheme.
Out of the 29 new proposals, the ministry has partially funded four projects worth Rs1,200 crore.
For projects related to development of Bhavanapadu Port, Ramayapatnam Port and Machilipatnam Port, Andhra Pradesh Government has been requested to restructure the projects and explore the possibility of funding under special assistance to States for capital investment under PM GatiShakti. Projects related to coastal berths and fish landing centres (FLCs) have also been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for their necessary approvals.