Rs 350-crore Sagarmala Projects sanctioned for Odisha; 52 more worth Rs 56,000 crore in pipeline

The Centre has sanctioned six projects worth Rs 350 crore under the Sagarmala Scheme for Odisha, while 52 other projects with a proposed investment of Rs 56,000 crore have been identified under the Sagarmala programme to strengthen the state’s port-led infrastructure and maritime economy, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Responding to a question by BJD MP Dr Sasmit Patra, Sonowal said the 52 projects, though not funded under the Sagarmala Scheme, are being implemented by agencies including the Paradip Port Authority, the Odisha government’s Ports and Fisheries departments, Indian Railways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) and the Ministry of Rural Development.

Advertisement

The projects are expected to create an additional 83 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of cargo-handling capacity, significantly enhancing Odisha’s maritime infrastructure.

The Minister said the development of National Waterway-5 (NW-5), announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, is currently in the approval stage. The proposed waterway will connect the mineral-rich regions of Talcher and Angul with the industrial hub of Kalinga Nagar and the ports of Paradip and Dhamra, and is expected to be completed within five years of receiving approval.

Sonowal also highlighted the Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme (CCPS), announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, which aims to promote a shift in freight movement from road and rail to coastal shipping and inland waterways. The initiative targets increasing the combined share of coastal shipping and inland waterways in the country’s freight transport from the present six per cent to 12 per cent by 2047.

According to the Minister, the six Sagarmala-funded projects in Odisha are expected to generate around 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, while the 52 projects identified under the broader Sagarmala programme are likely to create over 25,000 employment opportunities.

He added that the Centre is promoting the participation of local communities through skill development programmes for coastal youth in convergence with the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) to prepare them for jobs in the maritime sector. The projects are also expected to boost economic activity and improve livelihoods in Odisha’s coastal regions.