Chennai: Taking the Centre’s ambitious Sagarmala programme to the next phase of implementation, the Union Shipping Ministry has proposed to provide specialised training to over 13 lakh people across India’s 21 coastal districts in trades such as fishing, logistics, manufacturing and tourism.
The 21 coastal districts have been identified for imparting the skill training covering 13 maritime States and a union territory. The interim report and action plan has been prepared for 6 districts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh besides 63 projects identified will be taken up under the Sagarmala soon. The project will be executed in two phases. The first phase will cover 21 districts in Kerala, Gujarat, AP, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, TN, Goa, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. The remaining districts will be covered in the second phase.
According to sources, consultants have also been appointed for conducting “cutting-edge skill training in ports and maritime sector.” In order to provide skilled training to port and port user community, the Ministry is also taking steps to establish a Multi-Skill Development Centre linked to JNPT and a Centre of Excellence in Shipbuilding.
Though a concrete skill development action plan is being chalked out, Rs 23.8 crore has already been sanctioned under Sagarmala, for the following skilling projects: Safety training for workers in Alang-Sosiya Shipyard: 20,000 workers to be covered in 3 years, Sagarmala and Convergence Skill Training Project: 2,130 candidates targeted for training across 20 coastal districts in Phase 1. About 340 candidates have already been trained and 135 have been placed. 350 candidates are currently undergoing training.
About 8 projects at the fishing harbours under Sagarmala in convergence with the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries have been taken up for Rs 63.02 crore in Karnataka, Kerala, TN and Maharashtra. Also, under the coastal community development, numerous initiatives have been proposed for the fishermen community for Rs 100 crore.
