By 2035, all major ports will have green hydrogen, ammonia bunkers and refuelling infrastructure, according to the National Hydrogen Mission
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal, spoke during a session conducted as part of the Indian Merchants Chamber's "India Calling Conference 2023" in Mumbai. Speaking about green measures, he stressed that by 2035, green hydrogen / ammonia bunkers and refuelling facilities must be created in all major ports in accordance with the nation's National Hydrogen Mission. Infrastructure is being built at the ports of Deendayal, Paradip, and V.O. Chidambaranar for the establishment of hydrogen bunkering.
He said that India is forging ahead with a speed never seen before. "It took the Indian economy 60 years to reach the US $ 1 Trillion mark and now, in just 9 years from 2014, India is almost a three and a half Trillion Dollar economy", said the Union Minister.
The Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said that under PM Gati Shakti NMP, 101 projects totaling Rs. 62,227 crore have been identified for implementation by 2025. Out of these 101 projects, 26 have been completed for a total of Rs. 8897 crore, 42 are in development for a total of Rs. 15,343 crore, and 33 are being implemented for a total of Rs. 36638 crore. 14 projects totaling Rs 20,537 crore are projected to be finished by December 2023. .
He told the audience that there are currently 101 Gati Shakti initiatives being carried out in the state of Maharashtra, comprising 12 projects costing Rs. 9867 crores, of which 3 projects worth Rs. 3,165 crores have been finished. 2 initiatives totaling Rs. 675 crores are under development, while the rest of 7 projects amounting to Rs. 6,027 crores are under implementation and expected to be completed till 2025.
Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, asserted that a strong, stable, decisive, and transparent government is essential to realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of building India into a $5 trillion economy by 2025.
Talking about the PM Gati Shakti Project, Gadkari remarked, "PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP) is a very important effort and it will help us cut logistics expenses. Compared to other established economies like the USA, where the cost of logistics is 8% to 9% of GDP, it is greater in India at 13% to 14% of GDP.”
The Minister stated that NHAI is creating world-class "Wayside Amenities (WSA)" at more than 600 spots along the National Highways as part of initiatives to improve the highway network. These wayside amenities will also contain dormitories for truck drivers, EV charging stations, convention centres, trauma centres, and retail stores to advertise handicrafts and locally produced goods in addition to basic amenities like clean restrooms, parking, and eateries. To handle medical emergencies like car accidents and organ transplants, some WSAs will also have helipads and drone landing facilities.
Darshana Jardosh, a minister of state for railways and textiles, spoke at the event and noted that IMC has a long history of supporting the Swadeshi movement throughout the struggle for independence. She mentioned the numerous projects in the rail industry that offer investment prospects. Numerous domestic and international investors are interested in funding rail projects. In the rail sector, automatic routes are permitted for 100% FDI. By 2030, the government intends to spend $715 billion on rail infrastructure, according to the minister.
Anil Chauhan, the Chief of Defence Staff, had remarked that India is a major importer of defence goods to maintain operational readiness and self-reliance and that decreasing our reliance on imports is crucial for achieving our strategic objectives. He was discussing opportunities at a session on Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing