The government is expecting investments worth Rs.25 lakh crore over the next three years in roads, railway and shipping infrastructure.

The state has a long coastline of 720 km, which is almost 10 per cent of India´s coastline. It´s well connected through 18 National Highways and nearly 6,000 km of the railway network.

Maharashtra is the most industrialised state in the country and is one of the prime movers of India´s success story. Like a true leader, Maharashtra has been showing the way to emulate in fields varying from infrastructure to industrialisation and from education to research.

By signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs.8 lakh crore, Maharashtra managed to outpace other states in the recently held Make in India week. The MoUs being signed by various companies, and with these firms indicating their investment intentions, clearly showcases the faith being reposed in Maharashtra by the industry.

India has remarkable potential of 14,500 km of navigable waterways. However, only 4,300 km comprising five waterways have been designated as National Waterways. Realising the exponential growth in this sector in the coming years, the government in the year 2016 has, under the National Waterways Act 2016, declared an additional 106 inland waterways which brings the total number of National Waterways to 111.

As many as 141 agreements entailing an investment of Rs.82,900 crore ($13 billion) were signed at the Maritime India Summit, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The investment commitments were across shipping, ports and allied sectors.

The Centre will table a new bill that will facilitate a model agreement by way of Public-Private Partnership in the port sector.

High logistical cost prevailing in India is the biggest hindrance for Indian businesses on the global level and the Ministry of Shipping will aim to reduce the cost under the Sagarmala Project, said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, on the second day of the Maritime India Summit 2016.

In a bid to become self-reliant in energy, the Ministry of Shipping has chalked out plans to install around 200 MW captive (150 MW solar and 50 MW wind) renewable power projects in as many as 11 major ports in India.