04 JUN ,Delhi: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal attended a crucial meeting along with Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Shantanu Thakur of stakeholders of maritime development in the Bay of Bengal area in Kolkata today. The Minister – after interacting with the envoys of Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal as well as industry & trade representatives – called for greater cooperation among all the stakeholders for unlocking value in the maritime sector of the region. Shri Sonowal also underlined that Narendra Modi Government remains deeply committed to enable Act East Policy reach its maximum potential for growth & development of the eastern region of India as well as India’s neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal. The meet was also attended by senior leaders of the corporate world like SAIL, Tata Steel, IOC, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd., BPCL, Jindal Steel, MAERSK Shipping Lines and many others.Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Act East Policy of Government has gathered unprecedented momentum ushering a new age of growth & development in the region. The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan is yet another boost to rationalise logistical paradigm and make an attractive business proposition. The maritime sector as well as the inland waterways sector are major agents of change in this visionary scheme of transportation which is likely transform cargo movement through an economic, sustainable and efficient mode. In this momentous journey, we aspire your active support and swift cooperation to extrapolate maximum value creation for everyone.”