Sagarmala perspective plan to be ready by January end

The central government on Thursday said that the national perspective plan (NPP) for its Sagarmala project will be completed by the end of next month.

"We expect by end-January or mid-February, we will have this complete national perspective plan ready for the Sagarmala programme," said Rajive Kumar, secretary, shipping ministry, at an industry event organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

The secretary said that the government will introduce major reforms in the industry by revamping archaic acts which regulate the sector.

"We are relooking at most of our acts, some of which are more than 100 years old," Kumar said.

"We expect that in the next 6 months, we should be able to revamp and introduce in parliament all the major acts which this ministry is concerned with, be it the major ports act, merchant shipping act, and so on."

In addition, he said that the ministry was in the process of revising model concession agreement.

On the Indian Port Rail Company set up by the ministry to take care of the last mile connectivity, the secretary said that work was in progress on 25 projects.

The secretary added that there exists a huge opportunity in coastal movement of goods such as cement, steel and other commodities.