The Union Government has earmarked about Rs 50 billion to accelerate waterways and maritime development across the Northeast, Union Ports, Shipping & Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced. Over the past 11 years the ministry has nearly doubled national port capacity, placed nine ports in the World Bank’s top 100 and propelled cruise tourism, green shipping reforms and digital port systems.Skills and jobsA Maritime Skill Development Centre in Guwahati and a Centre of Excellence in Dibrugarh—built for roughly Rs 2 billion—will train 50,000 youth over the next decade, creating 500 maritime jobs each year.Inland waterway upgradesProjects worth Rs 10 billion are under way on the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers: permanent terminals at Pandu, Jogighopa, Dhubri, Bogibeel, Karimganj and Badarpur; year round dredging; new road access to Pandu Port; and heritage restoration in Dibrugarh. About Rs 3 billion of works are finished, with the balance due by 2025.Tourist jetties worth nearly Rs 2.99 billion are being built, while 85 community jetties will widen local river links.Ten amphibian and cutter section dredgers, backed by Rs 6.1 billion, will ensure all weather navigability, complemented by 100 modern barges to enter service by 2025.Tourism and urban transportRs 3 billion is allocated for new tourism and cargo jetties at Silghat, Neamati, Biswanath Ghat and Guijan. Water Metro systems are planned for Guwahati, Tezpur and Dibrugarh, with feasibility studies completed.Lighthouses equipped with IMD weather stations will rise at Pandu, Tezpur, Biswanath and Bogibeel.Regional connectivitySonowal confirmed the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project, linking Sittwe Port in Myanmar to Mizoram, remains on track for full commissioning by 2027. The route will shorten access from the Northeast to international sea lanes and boost trade with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Southeast Asia.The minister said these initiatives align with the Prime Minister’s ‘Act East’ agenda and aim to make India a global maritime powerhouse while delivering inclusive growth across riverine and coastal communities.