KAZIRANGA: The Centre will launch 1,000 green vessels as national waterways is all set to get a major boost with an investment of Rs 50,000 crore in the next five years.
On Friday, after the second meeting of the Inland Water Development Council (IWDC) at Kaziranga in Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said that 1,000 green vessels would be launched in the next five years to boost green shipping inland waterways.
Explaining it, Sonowal’s deputy Shantanu Thakur said that the vessels would be operated with solar power.
“This initiative is being taken to check environmental pollution. Some small vessels have already turned green. Now, we are targeting the bigger ones,” he said.
Buoyed by the success of Kochi’s Water Metro Project, the Centre decided to expand it to 15 cities, including Guwahati.
At the IWDC meeting, Sonowal unveiled initiatives with an investment of more than Rs 1,400 crore to boost the inland waterways transport network in 21 states.
Top-performing cargo vessel owners/movers were awarded for their role in the productive use of national waterways for the movement of goods.
He cited that 133 million MT of goods were transported via waterways in last 10 years compared to 18 million MTs of goods transported from 1986 to 2014.
This speaks volumes of the growth story, he added.
Sonowal said IWDC anchored a new vista for cooperative federalism as central and state governments 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," he said.
"Under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we are attempting to rejuvenate the support system of inland waterways to decongest railways and roadways. At the same time, we shall provide a viable, economic, sustainable and efficient mode of transportation for both passengers and cargo operators,” Sonowal said.
A major policy initiative in the form of the ‘Riverine Community Development Scheme’ was mooted at the IWDC meeting to improve the socio-economic well-being of coastal communities.
The initiative will be aided by developing infrastructure, promoting trade and tourism along with the riverine ecosystem, providing skill enrichment training and upgrading traditional knowledge of the communities.
Sonowal said the states in the Northeast gained a lot as a result of the ‘Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route' agreement. He said the pact was signed to achieve the Act East Policy goals.
“It was because of this agreement that 20 national waterways in the Northeast are developing,” he said.
Asked if the situation in Bangladesh impacted the movement of Indian vessels along the Bangladesh stretch, he said, “Our vessels are moving very smoothly.”
On China building a mega dam on Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra in India), he said, “We want our rights to be well guarded and well protected.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was also present said that the Centre was transforming Inland waterways to bring regions closer, reduce logistics cost and boost economic growth and unleash the full potential of the Indian economy.