Union Minister for Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal today said that the Maritime sector in India has been witnessing phenomenal growth in the past nine years. Speaking after inaugurating a roadshow for the ensuing global maritime summit, today at Chennai he said that India will become a hub for world-class port infrastructure supporting and sustaining GDP growth and generating lakhs of employment opportunities. The Minister said that due to the untiring efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India has been witnessing enormous growth in the port Sector.
 
The Minister listed out the various initiatives of the Government like the Sagarmala program. He informed that the Government has been taking several initiatives to develop coastal cruise tourism in the Country. He said that the Government intends to raise Rs. Ten lakh crore worth of investments in the third global Maritime Summit
 
The Minister said that Prime Minister's vision to develop blue economy with green transport, green ports, and green shipping has been given impetus. The Minister said that Rs 50 thousand crore worth of project is invested in Kamarajar Port in Chennai. He said that 56 holistic development projects have been identified in coastal areas. The Minister informed that 106 projects have been identified under the Sagarmala Scheme in Tamil Nadu in consultation with the State Government which is 1.4 lakh crore worth of projects. Mr.Sonowal said that so far 48 projects worth Rs 35.1 crore were completed. He said that other projects are under implementation.
 
The Minister virtually inaugurated the CISF barracks at the Kamarajar Port. It is situated on eleven acres of land with a built-in area of 3400 sq. metre at a cost of Rs.15 crore.
 
Speaking at the event, State Minister E.V.Velu said that there has been evidence in stone inscriptions that Tamils have been the forerunners in maritime trade since the 6th Century and they had better insights into seawater currents. The Minister appealed to the Union Government to provide generous financial assistance for TN Maritime Board for developing non-major ports in the State.