We all need to take inland water transportation seriously: CM
Staff Reporter & PIB
KAZIRANGA/GUWAHATI: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal said that more than Rs 3,000 crore would be invested for the Development of NW2 (Brahmaputra), NW16 (Barak) and IBPR (India-Bangladesh Protocol Route) by 2030.
Union Minister Sonowal said this at the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) meeting, held in Kaziranga on Friday.
For Assam, Sonowal announced the setting up of the Regional Centre of Excellence (RcoE) in Dibrugarh. The aim of this institution will be to incubate an ecosystem to train and develop manpower for the IWT (Inland Water Transport) sector in the Northeast region, encouraging innovations. The historic building of IWAI in Dibrugarh has been identified for refurbishment and preservation of its glory as a historic building. Sonowal also announced the setting up of four new tourist facilities at Biswanath Ghat, Neamati Ghat, Silghat, and Guijan. A new link road of 500 metres will be constructed between the under-construction Ship Repair Facility and Pandu Port in Guwahati. Sonowal further announced the design, construction, supply, testing, and commissioning of 12 vessels, while one survey vessel for the Barak River (NW16) was also announced. It was also decided to procure two steel pontoons with a gangway for providing terminal facilities under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
Taking part in the programme, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the IWDC delved deep into the expanding roles of inland waterways in driving transformation through transportation, as envisaged by the Prime Minister. Projects worth Rs 1400 crore across India were also launched to give a fillip to a riverine economy.
The Chief Minister said, “We can make our internal transportation system stronger through river excavation. We would like to urge the Government of India to benefit the internal water transportation sector to provide more importance. We are moving towards the direction of exploring the full potential of our waterways to boost growth in the state and India. We all need to take inland water transportation seriously.”
Earlier, speaking on the development in Assam and the Northeast, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The strategic significance is underscored by a substantial investment of over Rs 1,000 crore in Assam in the last couple of years dedicated to the advancement of these waterways. Projects such as the comprehensive development of NW-2, the ship repair facility at Pandu, the Bogibeel terminal development, and last-mile connectivity to Pandu are some of the projects that have already taken off. Further huge investments are envisaged for the development of North-Eastern waterways, which stand as a resounding testament to their critical role in propelling economic growth and prosperity.”
The Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) meet, for policy deliberation on the promotion & propagation of inland waterways in India, witnessed major announcements to boost infrastructure along national waterways. The second meeting of IWDC, organized by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency for development of waterways under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, announced investments of more than Rs 50,000 crore in the next five years. In this regard, a series of new initiatives across 21 Inland Waterway States were announced worth more than Rs 1400 crore here today. The meeting was presided over by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal.
The IWDC meet began with a traditional lamp lighting ceremony in Kaziranga today. The meet also witnessed ministerial participation from the Union Minister of State for MoPSW, Shantanu Thakur; the Ports Minister of Goa, Aleixo Sequeira; the Transport Minister of Assam, Jogen Mohan; the Transport Minister of Manipur, Khashim Vashum; the Transport Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Satish Sharma; the Transport Minister of Mizoram, Pu Vanlalhlana; and the Transport Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Ojing Tasing, among others.
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