Andhra CM Naidu meets Union Minister Sonowal, seeks Centre's support for Dugarajapatnam shipbuilding cluster and harbours

New Delhi [India], December 19 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in New Delhi on Friday and sought strong Central support for the development of the Dugarajapatnam shipbuilding ecosystem and key fishing harbour projects in the state, TDP said in a release.
The Chief Minister thanked the Union Government for the proactive policies introduced to strengthen India's port sector and shipbuilding capabilities and said Andhra Pradesh is committed to contributing to the national "Chip to Ship" vision.
CM Naidu informed the Union Minister that Andhra Pradesh is fully prepared to take up the National Mega Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Cluster at Dugarajapatnam. He said the state has already agreed to allocate 3,488 acres of land for the project and that the Techno-Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR) has been completed.
Plans are in place to develop the project as a comprehensive cluster with MSME ancillary units and common infrastructure required for large-scale shipbuilding and ship repair activities. He stressed that the project holds special significance as it aligns with the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Chief Minister urged the Centre to grant early approval to declare Dugarajapatnam as a National Mega Shipbuilding Cluster.
During the meeting, CM Naidu also requested the Centre to extend additional financial assistance for the state's fishing harbour infrastructure. He said the government is implementing these projects on priority to improve the livelihoods of fishermen and modernise the fisheries sector.
Under Phase-1, the state has taken up four fishing harbours--Juvvaladinne, Nizampatnam, Machilipatnam and Uppada--at a total cost of Rs 1,361.49 crore. Of this, only the Juvvaladinne harbour has received Central assistance of Rs 138.29 crore, while the remaining three harbours are still awaiting support from the Union Government. The Chief Minister informed the Union Minister that the Andhra Pradesh government has already spent Rs 782.29 crore on Phase-1 works but an additional Rs 440.91 crore is still required to complete the four harbours.
He appealed to the Centre to sanction Rs 150 crore under the Sagarmala scheme for the construction of the proposed fishing harbour at Odaravu in Prakasam district. In total, the state is seeking Rs 590.91 crore in Central support for fishing harbour development. (ANI)