Coastal Economic Zones to drive port-led industrialisation

To give a fillip to Make in India initiative and port-led industrialisation, 14 coastal economic zones (CEZs) are being conceptualised that could extend along a coastline of up to 500 km with around 300 km inland from the shore, the government today said.
"The CEZs will be aligned with relevant ports in maritime states and will house Coastal Economic Units for setting up manufacturing facilities. These have been conceptualised as a spatial-economic region which could extend along 300-500 km of coastline and around 200-300 km inland from the coastline. Each CEZ will be an agglomeration of coastal districts within a state," the Ministry of Shipping said.

Leveraging the port ecosystem, these CEZs will provide the geographical boundary within which port-led industrialisation will be developed, it said.
The CEZs have been envisaged to tap synergies with the planned industrial corridors like Vizag Chennai Industrial Corridor and Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor.
Addressing a workshop, Shipping Secretary Rajive Kumar said, "Sagarmala is a holistic and integrated programme that will transform the way the logistics is handled in the country."
He is of the view that despite tough global economic situation, developing the manufacturing sector can boost growth rates and harness India's demographic dividend.

"There is immense scope for logistics cost reduction under Sagarmala and CEZ is an effort to reduce cost by locating manufacturing centres closer to the ports, thereby making Indian trade competitive in the global market," he added.

Additional Secretary Alok Shrivastava saw Sagarmala as an intricate programme that has the potential to drive the socio-economic development in the country in a holistic manner.
Detailed master plans will be prepared by the Sagarmala Development Company and more projects will be identified.
The Sagarmala Development Company was approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday.