Port-based 29 industrial projects to boost exports by $110 billion

NEW DELHI: Twenty-nine port-based coastal industrial centres, planned under coastal economic zones, are expected to boost exports by $110 billion besides creating one crore new jobs, the government said today.

The clusters are planned in the vicinity of India's top 12 major ports.

"Twenty-nine port based/coastal industrial clusters have been proposed across 14 coastal economic zones ... The consultants have projected that these industrial cluster projects will enable creation of approximately 1 crore new jobs, including 40 lakh direct jobs and boost exports by $110 billion in the next 10 years," Minister of State for Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan told Lok Sabha in a written reply.

While Kandla port will have petrochemicals, cement and furniture-based industries, JNPT will have power, electronics and apparel projects, the Minister said.

Petrochemicals and marine processing are planned at Paradip while Kolkata will have leather processing industries, he said.

The projects have been formulated as part of National Perspective Plan (NPP) for the Sagarmala programme, which is an ambitious project for port-led development of India's coastal cities.

"The industrial cluster projects have an implementation time schedule of up to 10 years with an estimated infrastructure investment of Rs 1 lakh crore and are projected to attract additional industrial investment of Rs 7 lakh crore," the Minister said.