The Odisha Government has sent a list of 103 new project proposals worth over Rs 6,753.12 crore for inclusion in the National Perspective Plan (NPP) of Sagarmala.
Besides, the State has also approached the Union Government to approve earlier proposals worth Rs 5.21 lakh crore pending for a long time, sources said.
Commerce and Transport Principal Secretary Sanjay Rastogi held discussion with department officials before sending the proposals to the Ministry of Shipping.
Sagarmala scheme is aimed at promoting port-led direct and indirect developments and providing infrastructure to transport goods to and fro from ports quickly and cost effectively.
Accordingly, Odisha, which has a long coastal belt, has prepared a comprehensive plan for development of the entire coastline and sent the proposals to National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) for approval. The NSAC is headed by Union Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The Government has sent proposal to develop inland water transport, port-road infrastructure, fishing harbor and tourism sector.
Earlier, the Government had sent several proposals for port modernization, port connectivity, port-led industrialisation and coastal community development together worth over Rs 5.21 lakh crore, which are still to be approved.
Major projects include industrial park at Dhamra, Kalinganagar industrial hub, PCPIR region development, road connectivity to Dhamra and Gopalpur Ports and proposed Astaranga and Subarnarekha ports. Besides, proposals for rail connectivity to these three ports were also sent.
As Odisha is trying to have at least 14 ports, there is lot of scope for such an initiative. Tourism sector would get boost as there is a move to provide facilities to the uninhibited islands for facilitating the tourists to visit and stay.
However, delay in inclusion of Odisha projects in the NPP of Sagarmala has left the State Government in a worried state, said sources.