The Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC), the apex meeting for policy deliberation for the promotion and propagation of inland waterways in India, witnessed major announcements to boost infrastructure along national waterways.
The second meeting of IWDC, organised by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency for the development of waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), announced investments of more than RS 50,000 crore in the next five years. A series of new initiatives across 21 Inland Waterway States were announced, worth more than Rs 1400 crore, on the occasion. The meeting was presided over by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal.
The IWDC began with a traditional lamp lighting ceremony by the Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, at Kohora in Kaziranga.
The meet also witnessed ministerial participation of Union Minister of State for MoPSW, Shantanu Thakur; Ports Minister of Goa, Aleixo Sequeira; Transport Minister of Assam, Jogen Mohan; Transport Minister of Manipur, Khashim Vashum; Transport Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Satish Sharma; Transport Minister of Mizoram, Pu Vanlalhlana; and Transport Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Ojing Tasing, among others.
A major policy initiative in the form of the Riverine Community Development Scheme was mooted at the IWDC meet to improve the socio-economic well-being of coastal communities by developing infrastructure, promoting trade and tourism along with the riverine ecosystem, providing skill enrichment trainings, and upgrading traditional knowledge of the river of the communities in an attempt to upgrade the quality of lives of the people living by the banks of the National Waterways.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, “IWDC has anchored a new vista for cooperative federalism as both the governments at the Union and the states discussed, deliberated, debated and dwelled on multiple aspects for the strengthening of inland waterways. Historically, the role of inland waterways has been paramount for civilisations. However, this basic tenet of development remained ignored until 2014. Under the dynamic leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we are attempting to rejuvenate the support system of inland waterways so that we decongest railways and roadways and, at the same time, provide a viable, economic, sustainable and efficient mode of transportation for both passengers and cargo operators. At IWDC, we levelled up solutions to tide over challenges in an attempt to unlock the opportunities for economic development. In this regard, we have aimed at launching 1000 green vessels.”
At the IWDC, Union Minister Shri Sonowal unveiled initiatives with an investment of more than Rs 1400 crore to boost the inland waterways transport network in 21 states of the country. In an effort to ensure seamless and sustainable movement of inland vessels and also ensure their safety, the National River Traffic and Navigation System (NRT & NS) has been launched. Top-performing cargo vessel owners and movers were awarded for their role in the productive use of national waterways for the movement of goods.
The Central Database Module and Issuance of Certificates was launched with an aim to smoothen out the process of certification for vessel owners. Highlighting the focus of IWDC on employment generation and skill training, Sonowal said, “Major projects of upgrade in Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) have been conceived today at the meeting. To build a robust IWT in the country, the government is planning to develop shipbuilding and ship repair facilities across all the NWs.
