Odisha set to reclaim maritime legacy with bold policies
Every year, Odisha proudly celebrates its rich maritime heritage through the grand festival of Balijatra, held on the banks of the Mahanadi River in Cuttack.
This vibrant festival commemorates the historic voyages of the Sadhabas, skilled mariners who once set sail on majestic ships called Boitas, forging trade and cultural ties with present-day Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Echoes of these ancient maritime connections still resonate today in shared architectural motifs, artistic traditions, and linguistic traces, a testament to Odisha's enduring maritime influence.
Though shifts in trade routes and colonial disruptions diminished Odisha's prominence on the seas, its seafaring spirit has never faded. Today, this proud legacy inspires the vision of 'Viksit Odisha' that reclaims its historic maritime legacy while driving India's economic resurgence.
Globally, maritime economies symbolise a nation's logistical strength and trade prowess. Many developed countries have adopted port-led development as a cornerstone of their economic strategies. In fact, over 80 per cent of freight in these nations is transported via waterways, capitalizing on their vast coastlines.
India, with a coastline stretching over 7,500 km, boasts of 13 major ports and more than 200 non-major ports. Yet, only about 10 pc of freight movement occurs via waterways, revealing immense untapped potential. Encouragingly, port efficiency in India has seen significant improvement, with average ship dwell time now on par with Singapore and even better than that of the United States which is 7 days, as reported in the World Bank's Logistics Performance Index.
Recognising the sector's strategic value, the Government of India launched the Sagarmala Programme in 2015, aimed at modernising ports, enhancing connectivity, promoting port-led industrialisation, and developing coastal communities and inland waterways. Building on this momentum, the Maritime India Vision 2030 has identified over 150 initiatives across themes including infrastructure, logistics efficiency, shipbuilding, coastal shipping, innovation, sustainability, and global collaboration.
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