The Government of Odisha has recently put forward a proposal to the Centre for setting up a maritime university in the state in order to facilitate and encourage maritime studies along with training and research.
On Friday, May 6, National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) held its third meeting in New Delhi, wherein, Minister of Planning and Convergence, Commerce and Transport, Padmanabha Behera, requested the Centre to look into the proposal and help in initiating the university for future developments of the maritime sector in the east coast of the nation.
"Maritime transport is extremely important for both economic and cultural development. Nearly 95 per cent of the country's trade by volume and 70 per cent by utility move through maritime transport, it exhibits the importance of the ports and also its contribution assisting the growth of the Indian economy. Maritime universities, once set up, will start promoting both maritime studies and research," he stated.
The minister also laid-down demands for the three railway line project and pressed the Ministry for Ports, Shipping and Waterways to settle the long pending affairs regarding inviolable independence of the coastal states in the matter of regulation and administration of non-major ports and non nationalised waterways.
"Although the Ministry had last year given an assurance to address our concerns appropriately, no tangible improvement was noticed. We therefore request for proper examination at the time of finalising the Indian Port bill, which would strengthen the spirit of cooperative federalism," Behera said.
