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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 4:59:11 pm

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister,...

A Comeback Rooted in Green

Part - 8 Who: Pankaja Munde Where: Parli Vaijnath, Beed district Pankaja Munde is making a comeback — not with political fireworks or headline-grabbing confrontations, but through a quieter, more deliberate campaign to reshape Maharashtra’s environmental future. The BJP leader is steadily reclaiming her space with a green agenda that places governance, sustainability and grassroots engagement at its centre. Over the past 18 months, Munde, Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Minister, has pursued a series of policy initiatives and administrative reforms to address the state’s mounting ecological vulnerabilities. As extreme weather events intensify and climate risks spread across the state, she has sought to build a more systematic response through institutional restructuring, regulatory interventions and public participation. Maharashtra is among the country’s most climate-vulnerable states, having recorded 142 extreme weather events in 2024 alone. More than 94 per cent of its districts are susceptible to climate change, while the frequency of hot days has doubled, droughts and coastal cyclones have tripled, and floods have quadrupled over the past decade. Against this backdrop, Munde has adopted a methodical approach, keeping much of her focus on administrative work rather than the political controversies and media glare that marked her earlier career. At the policy level, she has established the Maharashtra State River Rejuvenation Authority to help maintain natural river flows and curb water pollution. A Carbon Market Facilitation Cell has been launched to implement the state’s carbon credit policy, while her department has collaborated with the iFOREST organisation to develop a comprehensive Just Transition Roadmap. The initiative seeks to ensure that the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources does not leave vulnerable communities behind. Munde has also restructured the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority to strengthen regulatory oversight. A special task force has been formed to promote large-scale bamboo cultivation, with a target of covering 15,738 hectares by October 2025. Clean-up initiatives across 11 beaches have improved local environments. Five beaches — Parnaka in Dahanu, Shrivardhan, Nagaon, Guhagar and Ladghar — have been selected to pursue international Blue Flag certification through Denmark’s Foundation for Environmental Education. Munde has also sought to bring environmental conservation closer to communities. A resolution was passed to develop at least one man-made Devrai (sacred grove) and Ghanvan (dense forest) in every taluka, with the aim of preserving local biodiversity. Her effort to make religious celebrations more environmentally conscious received a striking showcase at the Eco-friendly Maha Ganesh Idol Workshop in Vashi, Mumbai. More than 10,000 students simultaneously crafted Shadu clay idols, securing a Guinness World Record for the state. Complementing these measures is the statewide Paryavaran Vachva Vasundhara Sajva (Save the Environment, Adorn the Earth) campaign. Munde has personally visited religious sites to persuade traders and citizens to give up single-use plastics. Whether or not these initiatives translate into lasting ecological gains, they nonetheless signal an attempt to give Maharashtra’s environmental administration a more proactive identity.

Indian Shipbuilding A Must Win Marathon

Writer: Capt. Naveen S Singhal
Capt. Naveen S Singhal
Dec 5, 2024
4 min read
Shipbuilding

With a coastline of 7500 KM, it is hard to imagine, that for the first 20 years (1947-1967) India had no ‘shipping ministry’. In 1967 a Shipping ministry “coupled” with ROAD transport was established. Since then, this ministry has been on a name changing ride, not once, not twice but six times. In 2009 the “ROAD Transport and Highways” was de-coupled and ‘Shipping’ ministry was formed. Turning point came in 2015 with a clear maritime vision for 2030 and 2047. Ministry was re-christened, aptly to Ministry of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” in 2020.


Why is Shipbuilding important for a country?

a. A Shipyard becomes an opportunity hub and like a queen bee requires the support of an industrial colony to manufacture machinery and equipment.

b. National Shipyards support fleet renewal needs of the Navy.

c. Contributes to national GDP, increases inflow of FOREX.


Korea shipbuilding is 8% of GDP. Japan’s automobile industry is 2.9% of GDP. India’s shipbuilding a meagre 0.000578% of GDP. In context, India’s pharmaceutical industry, ranked third largest in the world is 1.72% of India’s GDP.


International Shipbuilding Market

The market is estimated to reach around USD 200 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.84%. While India is at bottom with 0.07% of world share, behind Philippines 1.5% and Vietnam 1%, however on the positive side, India has done well in taking care of its defence needs, with 37 of 39 Naval ships being built in India yards. Rear Admiral S Shrikhande researching on maritime as a Fellow at Wollongong University, Australia, says “Shipbuilding in India needs both, serious incentivisation and dogged determination and not harping on being a big ship breaking country. That Garden Reach shipyard has a $54 million order for merchant ships from a German owner, is a good sign.”


Were Shipyards of 20th century in Flight mode?

Prominent shipyards in India were built in the colonial period. Mazagon Dock 1774, Garden reach 1884, Hindustan shipyard 1941 to cater to British navy and merchant fleet needs. Cochin shipyard 1972, Adani Katupalli 2013, Reliance Naval and Engineering, Rajula Gujarat 1997 and others have limited capacity, hence a lot more work to do. Capt. Subhangshu Dutt (Singapore) a mariner and now a shipowner, says “GOI should hold hands in any collaboration till the marriage with the foreign entity is reasonably stable. He also suggests that “new shipbuilding sites should be given to existing successful shipyards since they have decades of experience and talent. Consortium of 3 or more parties may also be good idea”.


Shipbuilding GOLD

As per SPLASH report the demand for LCO2 carriers could reach 2,500 ships by 2050. As per other estimates, 40% of global fleet of ships could have wind propulsion by 2050. A surge in such vessels is due to an unparallel waves of decarbonization in the shipping industry. Demand for ships with ‘carbon neutral’ badges, such as Dual fuel, Wind assisted, Nuclear fuel ships, Hydrogen powered ships, Liquified CO2 (LCO2) carrier, is outstripping supply. A must in the ‘bucket list’ of every Shipyard. Pinning down a standard ROI in shipbuilding is not easy, but experts suggest it could range from 4% to 15% for the high demand ‘carbon neutral’ ships. While an LNG new build vessel could cost US$ 250 million upwards.


International collaboration

On China’s shipbuilding success story, Manoj Pandalanghat (Singapore) a mariner and ship owner believes that “China has around 50 active Shipyards. Each have a few large dry docks. In each dock two or more large vessels are built simultaneously. Thus, a single yard is able to roll out 2/3 vessels/month, 36 vessels/year and 50 shipyards roll out 1800 vessels/year”.


China could be a jaldi-5, but India needs a sturdy Mount Fiji. Besides technology, Japanese bring the most important hand baggage of soft-skills and culture, essential for success from keel laying to delivery. Maruti’s is a standing example.


Food for thought for New Delhi

a. Expertise: Hire Naval Architects and shipbuilding experts with current international experience.

b. Government assistance: Land, Financial support, subsidies and timebound clearances.

c. Monitoring: PMO should monitor the first 5 to 10 years till Shipbuilding takes-off on this long-haul flight to destination 2047.


India’s Shipbuilding is expected to grow to $237 billion by year 2047. On a back of the envelope calculations this works out to about 4% of India’s 2047 projected GDP of $ 5 trillion. While cars are driven on roads, however the Ministry of roads and transport has little to do with “Automobile manufacturing”. On a similar note, ‘Shipbuilding’ as an industry has little to do with Ports, Shipping and Waterways, thus it may be worthwhile to consider a separate ‘Ship-building’ wing in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways headed by a dynamic cabinet rank minister. Since 2047 targets are stiff and an uphill task, so in all probabilities, the officials in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways are likely to push beneath the carpet, delays and failures of Shipbuilding with sweet success stories of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” and if this does happen then India will not only miss the Shipbuilding bus of 21st century but a lot more from a national security and strategic perspective.


(The author is a Shipping and Marine consultant. Member Singapore Shipping Association and empaneled with IMO as a specialist consultant. Views personal.)

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