Explanation:

• The Sagarmala Project was initiated by the Government of India to promote port-led development in India.
• The project aims to harness the 7500 km long coastline of the country to unleash its economic potential.
• The project also seeks to boost infrastructure for transporting goods to and from ports quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Although the project was originally mooted in 2003, it came into being in 2015 when it got cabinet approval. The project is important because Indian ports in general, still face operational and infrastructural challenges. Additionally, last mile connectivity to ports is a big constraint in the seamless transport of goods to and from ports and the hinterland. Coastal and waterway transport is the cheapest and safest mode of transport, but in India, it is not harnessed to the best.

Sagarmala Project Components

• Port Modernization & New Port Development – extending the capacity of existing ports and developing new ports.
• Port Connectivity Enhancement – improving port-hinterland connectivity, optimizing cost and time of cargo movement through multi-modal logistics solutions including domestic waterways
• Port-linked Industrialization – Developing industrial clusters close to ports and developing Coastal Economic Zones
• Coastal Community Development – Promoting sustainable development of coastal communities through skill development & livelihood generation activities, fisheries development, coastal tourism, etc.