Union Minister Sonowal to chair the first Inland Waterways Development Council meeting in Kolkata
New Delhi: The Inland Waterways Authority of India under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MOPSW) is set to host the inaugural ‘Inland Waterways Development Council’ meeting in Kolkata on Monday. , Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal will bring together prominent personalities in the day-long meeting on board the ship MV Ganga Queen, according to an official statement issued from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH.
Waterways, including Shripad Naik and Shantanu Thakur, Ministers of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways in the states and the Central Government. “The event will also see the participation of ministers from various state governments, their principal secretaries, secretaries as well as several senior officials of the central government and domain experts in the field,” the ministry said in its statement. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will also unveil important initiatives including “Green Yachts – Guidelines for Green Transition of Inland Ships” and “River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047” during the meeting.
Additionally, the event is expected to see the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) marking collaborative efforts towards advancing inland waterways and related sectors. “The inaugural IWDC meeting featured a packed agenda with successive sessions addressing key issues in the development of inland waterways in India.
The sessions include topics such as fairway development, private sector participation and best practices, optimization of cargo transportation efficiency in inland water transport (IWT). ), promoting the promotion and development of eco-friendly ships for passenger transportation, exploring the economic benefits of river cruise tourism and emphasizing sustainable practices,” the ministry said. It is to be noted that the Ministry has set a bold objective of increasing the modal share of Inland Water Transport (IWT) from the current 2 per cent to 5 per cent in line with the goals outlined in the Maritime India Vision 2030.
As part of the ambitious Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the Ministry aims to increase the existing IWT cargo volume from around 120 MTPA to over 500 MTPA, marking a significant leap in the development of inland waterways in the country. In the state of West Bengal, the Sagarmala program is actively promoting maritime development with projects worth Rs 62 crore. 16,300 crores. Notably, approximately Rs. 19 projects.
Rs 1,100 crore have been completed, while a total of 43 projects worth approximately Rs 15 thousand crore are in various stages of implementation. Among these initiatives, 11 projects with partial funding of about Rs 650 crore from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MOPSW) are making significant progress.
Six of these projects worth approximately Rs 400 crore have been completed, while the remaining five projects worth Rs 250 crore are at various stages of implementation.
Notable achievements include successful improvement of road connectivity, providing convenience to port and trade users and Rs. A Rs 47 crore project to upgrade tracks at the EJC yard of Kolkata Port, resulting in increased safety and efficiency.
Upcoming projects include setting up of Inland and Coastal Marine Technology Center at IIT Kharagpur with 100% financial assistance from Sagarmala, and anti-erosion work on the left bank of Hooghly/Bhagirathi block and PS Kalyani Nadia district. Rupee. The Rs 17.7 crore initiative aims to prevent bank erosion and protect the livelihoods of local communities.
The establishment of the Inland Waterways Development Council in October 2023 by the Government of India underlines its commitment towards comprehensive development of inland waterways and related inland water transport (IWT) ecosystem to improve active cargo efficiency, passenger movement and river cruise tourism. . The ministry said in its statement that the participation of states and union territories.
