GUWAHATI: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced a plan to create 50,000 jobs in the northeastern maritime sector over the next decade. The initiative aims to train 5,000 youth annually through the Maritime Skill Development Centre in Guwahati and a ₹200 crore Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh. Sonowal emphasized the government’s commitment to empowering youth with world-class maritime skills, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision.
Since 2014, India’s maritime sector has seen significant growth, with major ports nearly doubling their capacity. The government has introduced key reforms, enhancing regional connectivity and making Indian ports globally competitive. Nine ports now rank in the World Bank’s top 100, with Visakhapatnam reaching the top 20.
The success of lighthouse tourism will extend to India’s national waterways, including the Brahmaputra River, with plans to build four tourist-friendly lighthouses and 85 community jetties to facilitate cargo and passenger movement. Projects worth ₹1,000 crore in inland waterways are scheduled for completion by 2025.
Regarding the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol routes, Sonowal assured that political issues in Bangladesh have not disrupted cargo transport, with 4 million metric tonnes of goods moved annually. He expressed a desire for amicable relations with neighboring countries despite internal challenges.
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