NewzVille Parliament Desk
Parliament has passed the Lading Bill 2025 with the Rajya Sabha approving it today. The Lok Sabha has already passed the legislation in March this year. It aims to update and simplify the legal framework for shipping documents. Â It will replace the Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856.
A bill of lading refers to a document issued by a freight carrier to a shipper. Â It contains details including the type, quantity, condition, and destination of goods being carried.
Replying to a debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that after Narendra Modi Government came to power in 2014, the vision plan of the Ministry was developed under which Sagarmala programme was undertaken and more than 805 projects have been identified. He said, more than 5.5 lakh crore rupees is being spent in these projects.
He said, “Under the Sagarmala programme, the aim is to make all the ports modernized and enhance their capacities, now all the major ports are well connected with Railways and Roadways.”
Highlighting the growth in capacity handling of ports, Sonowal said that in 2013-14, Â the coastal shipping was limited to only 87 million metric tonnes and following the modernization the capacity went up to 165 million metric tonnes. He said, with respect to waterways, it was limited to only 18 million metric tonnes and now it has increased to 145 million metric tonnes.
He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of making India among the top five ship building countries in the world by 2047.
Earlier, while introducing the Bill, Sonowal said, the government has set a target to transform the country into a developed country by 2047 under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said, this vision is not aspirational but a call for taking action to turn the country a progressive nation. He said, 21st century is destined to be the century of Bharat. He termed the Ports, Shipping and Waterways as important sectors vital for economic growth of India.
