Important for: GS Prelims — Indian Economy
About the Scheme
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Honourable PM, approved the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas’s Rs. 84,084 crore Central Sector Scheme, ‘Samudra Manthan’ (National Offshore Exploration Scheme), for implementation up to FY 2030–31. Operationalising the PM’s Independence Day 2025 Red Fort vision for a modern-day “Samudra Manthan,” it aims to unlock India’s offshore energy potential, strengthen energy security, accelerate domestic exploration and production, and advance Viksit Bharat.
Key Features of Samudra Manthan
- It involves a large-scale acquisition, processing and interpretation of high-quality seismic data and accelerated deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory Scientific drilling in frontier basins.
- Development of common offshore production and evacuation infrastructure andestablishment of an integrated Oil & Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone.
- Dedicated provisions for digital programme management, capacity building, technology adoption, stakeholder engagement and international outreach
Expected Outcomes of the National Offshore Scheme
- More Energy and Reserves: There will be a substantial increase in offshore exploration activity and higher domestic oil and gas production, adding over 600 Million Metric Tons of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) to reserves.
- Investment and Job Creation: Significant new investment will flow across the entire exploration and production value chain, which will generate large-scale employment.
- Local Manufacturing and Global Technology: Indigenous manufacturing will be strengthened under Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, creating a globally competitive ecosystem for offshore technologies and services.
Conclusion
Samudra Manthan is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, approved with an outlay of Rs. 84,084 crore up to FY 2030–31, aimed at accelerating offshore exploration and production, strengthening energy security, and building an integrated ecosystem for offshore hydrocarbon development.
| Important CTC from this article for UPSC Samudra Manthan (National Offshore Exploration Scheme) National Data Repository |