Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal dedicated key maritime projects to the nation during the 2nd Indian Lighthouse Festival at Puri, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said in a release. At the valedictory session Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also announced that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Govt of India, would take necessary steps to enable coastal communities around the Lighthouses in order to empower them to preserve & promote the lighthouses - the rich heritage of India's marine sector. The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that the coastal communities of the country would be developed as societies in order to enable and empower the communities within the vicinity of lighthouses. The effort is aimed at community engagement to take pride in the lighthouses for their preservation, protection, and promotion. A central association of all these societies would be created to give a national momentum to celebrate the lighthouse as national icons as cultural heritage & legacy of India's rich maritime sector. The new Kalwan reef Lighthouse at Jamnagar in Gujarat as well as two projects in Padadip Port, Odisha; i.e., Stacker-cum-Reclaimant & a Flyover bridge, were inaugurated. The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also inaugurated Sand Art Competition, Boat Art Competition, Beach run, Beach Yoga and many other activities at the second day of the 2nd edition of multifaceted Indian Lighthouse Festival. Sonowal also led a Swachata Abhiyan at the Niladri beach where the collective effort led to removal of garbage. Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, The Indian Lighthouse Festival or Bharatiya Prakash Sthamb Utsav has been receiving laurels from all quarters of the country as we continue our effort to further bolster facilities for the tourists - both domestic and foreign - for a memorable experience at these wonderful monuments. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the government is taking all steps to realise the full potential of India's rich cultural heritage as well as its historical legacy in propelling the economic growth of the country. Modiji's call for an Atmanirbhar Bharat has resonated well with people and we, the Ministry, remain committed to usher in a new chapter of growth in India's blue economy. Lighthouse Tourism is part of this vision of Modi ji. It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that a rise of more than 400 per cent footfall of tourists in the lighthouses since 2014. From 4 lakhs in 2014, it reached 16 lakhs tourists in the last fiscal. We have already crossed 9 lakhs in the first half of the current fiscal, and it is evident, that the growing trend of lighthouses as tourists hotspots to continue. For years, the guardians of our shores have remained unnoticed, even while they guided vessels and seafarers through the most challenging nights. The 'Lighthouse Festival' is our effort to shift this perception. Our goal is to raise awareness, foster involvement, and enlighten people about the significant contribution these iconic structures have made to our country's maritime legacy, he added. Highlighting the importance of coastal communities in preservation of the Lighthouses, the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced, In order to rope in the coastal community, the government is keen to enable and empower them to preserve, conserve, and promote these iconic structures. A national framework is being mooted to ensure that a well thought out system is in place for the coastal communities to preserve, protect & promote the lighthouses as the torchbearers of India's rich maritime history and legacy.