PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Rs 34,200 Cr projects in Gujarat
New Delhi, Sep 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 34,200 crore in Gujarat, with a strong emphasis on strengthening India’s maritime sector under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
The projects include the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal, new container and cargo facilities at major ports, and coastal protection works across several states.
Addressing the ‘Samudra se Samriddhi’ event in Bhavnagar, PM Modi said the 21st century offers vast opportunities through the oceans and declared that “India’s biggest adversary is dependence on other nations.” He urged collective efforts to reduce foreign reliance in critical sectors such as shipping, energy, and manufacturing, adding, “Whether it is chips or ships, they must be made in India.”
The Prime Minister highlighted that India pays nearly $75 billion annually to foreign shipping firms, an amount close to the country’s defence budget, highlighting the urgent need to revive the domestic shipbuilding industry. He announced that shipbuilding has been granted infrastructure status, enabling easier financing and reduced borrowing costs for Indian firms.
PM Modi also unveiled three new schemes worth `70,000 crore to support shipbuilding through financial aid, technology upgrades, and improved design standards. He said these reforms, along with initiatives like ‘One Nation, One Document’ for ports, will simplify trade processes and revive India’s legacy as a global maritime power. The Prime Minister noted that India’s port capacity has doubled in the past decade, ship turnaround time has been halved, and the country now supplies over three lakh seafarers, placing it among the top three providers globally. He also announced that Gujarat’s Lothal is being developed into a world-class maritime museum to showcase India’s heritage.
In addition to maritime projects, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for central and state projects worth `26,354 crore in Gujarat, covering renewable energy, LNG infrastructure, solar power for farmers, healthcare expansion, and urban transport. He also conducted an aerial survey of the Dholera Special Investment Region and reviewed progress at the `4,500-crore National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal. Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Ministers, and other dignitaries attended the event.
