Union Minister Sonowal unveils Rs 1500 crore infra, CSR projects in Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Nov 13 (PTI) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday unveiled 16 infrastructure and 113 CSR projects worth Rs 1,500 crore at the golden jubilee celebrations of the NMPA here.

Speaking at the event, Sonowal said the projects mark a major step in strengthening India’s maritime infrastructure under the government’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways added that New Mangalore Port Authority has signed MoUs worth Rs 52,000 crore as part of India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, according to a press release.

Tracing the port’s five-decade journey since its commissioning in 1975, Sonowal said NMPA now handles over 46 million tonnes of cargo annually and aims to reach 100 million tonnes by 2047.

The port has achieved 92 per cent mechanisation and operates as India’s largest coffee exporter and second-largest LPG importer, the release said.

Sonowal also inaugurated the renovated Mangalore Marine College and Technology (MMCT) campus and a new Rs 9.51-crore office building of the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD).

He highlighted that the number of Indian seafarers has risen from 1.08 lakh in 2014 to over 3.2 lakh now, projecting that one in every five global seafarers will be Indian by 2030, the release added.

The minister said NMPA has transitioned to 100 per cent solar power and adopted green cargo policies.

Karnataka has 32 ongoing Sagarmala projects worth Rs 6,526 crore to boost port-led industrial and coastal development, he added.

Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, MP Brijesh Chowta, former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs Dr Bharath Shetty and D Vedavyasa Kamath, and senior port and shipping officials were present. PTI COR SSK