Government Plans to Invest Rs 5000 Crore to Boost Northeast Waterways and Maritime Sector

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced government plans to invest Rs 5,000 crore to boost the waterways and maritime sector in the Northeast. The ministry has major initiatives such as expanding the capacity of the Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati and setting up a Centre of Excellence (COE) in Dibrugarh to develop the maritime sector in the region.

Sonowal stated that India is on track to become a global maritime powerhouse, and the sector has witnessed significant growth over the past 11 years under the Modi government. Port capacity and cargo handling have seen historic growth, along with green shipping, cruise tourism, and skill development for youth.

Over the past 11 years, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MOPSW) has witnessed growth in India’s maritime sector with record rises in cargo handling, capacity, and coastal shipping. Major ports have almost doubled their capacity, and initiatives like cruise tourism and skill development for youth are on the rise.

Key legislative and digital reforms, green shipping initiatives, and projects like the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project are strengthening regional connectivity and trade. India’s ports are now globally competitive, with nine ranking in the World Bank's top 100, and Visakhapatnam Port reaching the top 20.

The government aims to train 50,000 youth from the region in maritime skills over the next decade, offering them assured employment opportunities in the growing sector. The Maritime Skill Development Centre (MSDC) in Guwahati and the upcoming Centre of Excellence (COE) in Dibrugarh aim to power this transformation. The COE will be developed with an investment of Rs 200 crores, and both centers are likely to produce 500 jobs annually.

Sonowal emphasized the vision to train, enable, and empower 50,000 youth from the Northeast with world-class maritime skills over the next decade, ensuring meaningful employment and growth. The centers in Guwahati and Dibrugarh will be the backbone of this transformation,” Sonowal said. The ministry has undertaken projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the Northeast’s inland waterways sector over the past two years, with Rs 300 crore works completed and Rs 700 crore slated for completion by 2025.

Major initiatives include permanent cargo terminals at various locations, year-round fairway dredging, new approach roads, heritage restoration, tourist jetties, skill development centers, and lighthouses. Feasibility studies have been completed for operations in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh, and cruise vessels are being procured under central schemes. Efforts are also underway to expand IWT infrastructure and promote water-based tourism in Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.

The operationalization of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) offers new trade routes bypassing the Siliguri Corridor, strengthening regional connectivity. The ministry also announced plans to develop community jetties to improve local connectivity in the Northeast. To support tourism and regional trade, Rs 300 crore will be invested in building new tourism and cargo jetties at various locations. Water metro projects are also planned in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Dibrugarh to modernize urban transport and improve connectivity.