The government plans to come out with a scheme to encourage Indian shipyards to bag contracts from abroad. A Cabinet note in this regard had been prepared, said Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari. "The states of Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have potential for this kind of industry. We want to facilitate ship-breaking and building in our country," he said.
Besides, Cochin Shipyard will invest Rs 1,200 crore in the construction of a dry dock, where liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier ships will be made. Other shipyards would make two more LNG ships, costing Rs 1,500 crore each, Gadkari said. Cochin Shipyard would partner with a French company for building these vessels.
The proposed ferry service between India and Myanmar will commence next month for cargo and passenger movement. It will connect the two countries through Chennai and Yangon (Myanmar).
State-run Shipping Corporation of India is likely to deploy a 1,200 TEU (twenty feet equivalent unit) vessel, which will connect the ports of Colombo, Chennai, Krishnapatnam and Yangon. A plan to start a roll-on/roll-off service for transportation of vehicles from factories, which will help in saving fuel used for transportation of goods through roads.
RORO ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks.
On the roads sector, the minister said about 35 road projects worth Rs 38,500 crore, which were stuck, have been cancelled and will be rebid in the engineering, procurement and construction mode soon.
In the current financial year, the government will award contracts for 8,500 km of highway projects. Of it, contracts have already been awarded for 1,860 km. The ministry is targeting construction of 6,300 km of roads this financial year, out of which 1,000 km have been constructed and 350 km strengthened so far.
On the new land acquisition Bill, Gadkari said if required, the government will only increase compensation for farmers after acquiring land and there is no question of reducing it. The government will try to bring in the revised Bill in the upcoming winter session of Parliament
