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The Government is focusing on facilitating container production through a Make in India push, focusing on cluster-based manufacturing. A high-powered meeting was held between Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw to deliberate and facilitate an ecosystem for Container production under Make In India programme.

With cluster-base manufacturing in focus, the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR) will work closely with the MoPSW. The meeting also discussed how the availability of Make In India containers may open up the avenue for domestic cargo transportation using the vast expanse of inland waterways of India.

Various ways and means to encourage Indian producers of containers were also discussed along with the possibility of movement of bulk cargos like cement, food grains, fertilisers etc through coastal and inland waterways in containerised form. This will contribute to reduction in the cost of logistics, handling charges as it will be through an economical, ecological and easier mode of transportation.

Earlier, a committee was formed comprising of the Joint Secretary (Ports), Joint Secretary (Customs), Joint Secretary (Logistics), Joint Secretary (Steel), Representative from CONCOR and NICDC to assess the demand of containers in domestic trade, EXIM trade as well as the problem faced in the domestic manufacturing of containers.