Plans to Develop 700 Uninhabited Islands: Sagarmala project

News

• Many of the over 700 uninhabited islands across India will be developed for tourism, filmmaking, entertainment activities, as honeymoon destinations, maritime security and also for generating non-conventional energy – both wind and solar.
• This scheme will be part of the ambitious Sagarmala project.
• The Cabinet approved the concept note and institutional framework to implement this massive project .
• The Sagarmala concept was first mooted by Atal Bihari Vajpayee during his last tenure.
• There are a total of 1,208 islands including the uninhabited ones and there are 185 lighthouses.
• These will be developed as hub of tourist activity. A feasibility study will be carried out.
• A national perspective plan (NPP) for the entire coastline will be prepared within six months to identify potential CEZs. Fund required in 2015-16 for implementation of projects in the initial phase of Sagarmala is pegged at Rs 692 crore.

Reasons

• Generates Revenue.
• The need to protect these islands from any unauthorized occupation and for security reasons.
• 12 smart cities and several coastal economic zones (CEZs) will come up under the ambitious Sagarmala project. The smart cities will have affordable housing, wind and solar power and green industry.