Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, led a high-level review meeting aimed at creating a reform-oriented roadmap to enhance India’s maritime sector, aligning with the nation’s aspirations for Viksit Bharat 2047. The discussions, held with senior officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), emphasized the need for improved governance, streamlined ease of doing business, and effective grievance redressal, ensuring timely implementation of key maritime initiatives.
A significant highlight of the meeting was the launch of the nationwide ‘Maritime Reform Utsav,’ which will celebrate the achievements of the past 12 years in various maritime sectors, including ports, shipping, and green initiatives. Sonowal remarked on the transformative journey of India’s maritime sector, driven by the principles of ‘Reform, Perform, Transform, and Inform.’ A thorough evaluation of the sector’s progress will take place, identifying policy gaps and areas needing urgent intervention and capacity building.
To address grievances effectively, MoPSW officials were tasked with establishing a structured mechanism to expedite the resolution of pending maritime issues. Sonowal stressed that this system should focus on practical solutions rather than mere case disposals, advocating for a dedicated body to ensure accountability and timely resolutions.
In a bid to enhance digital governance, the ministry announced plans to develop an integrated digital platform and mobile application under the Directorate General of Shipping. This platform aims to provide a unified ecosystem for stakeholder interaction, real-time service delivery, and efficient grievance handling. The meeting also prioritized leveraging AI and digital systems to boost operational efficiency and transparency, while encouraging improved media outreach to engage younger audiences.
Share it now
