In order to set up the manufacturing facilities, the government of India recently proposed to utilise vast stretches of land connected with the Indian ports under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ mission.
India’s Ministry of Shipping is considering using over one lakh hectares of vast surplus land connected with various major Indian ports to build industrial clusters and infrastructure that meet both export and import requirements and domestic needs.
Worldwide, land near the ports are being used for similar purpose. This is a model that has been highly successful in the West.
Port-led development model will not only help India build capacities for self reliance but also service a vast export market.
As a part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy is also reported to have been in talks with the Shipping Ministry so as to explore green energy manufacturing facilities on port land and to reduce dependence on Chinese imports.
More such projects involving power and steel are also in the pipeline and may be considered.
