Cargo ship over Brahmaputra-Haldia in 2022: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal

 Waterways to fulfil PM's Gati Shakti vision

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal is hopeful that the sailing of cargo ships will start over the Brahmaputra towards the later part of 2022. He feels that this will unlock the economic potential of the Northeast, besides allowing the landlocked region's direct access to the international trading routes.

Talking to the media here today, Sonowal said, "The Ministry has already started the dredging work at the critical junctures of the Brahmaputra. The Bangladesh government is also working on the Jamuna river to make the 2000-km-long waterway from Sadiya to Haldia via Bangladesh a smooth passage with support from India. For digging of the Bangladesh part (Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route), the ministry has sanctioned Rs 305 crore.

"British India did use the Brahmaputra-Ganga Waterways extensively. However, the use of the two waterways became less as time passed by due to the less depth of the two rivers for various reasons. The use of the waterways came to a grinding halt in Assam. Earthquakes and deforestation raised the Brahmaputra riverbed.

"Through his vision of Gati Shakti, the Prime Minister foresaw that the waterways would be the cheapest transportation mode carrying cargos loads as heavy as 2000-MT. The northeastern region will play a critical role in resuscitating the economic prosperity of India. There have been efforts to build waterways of the region and connect them to major ports in the Bay of Bengal. It will unlock the economic potential of the region, besides allowing the landlocked region direct access to the international trading routes. The government is working tirelessly to connect Mizoram, Tripura and Assam to strategic ports in Myanmar (Sittwe port) and Bangladesh (Mongola & Chittongong ports).

"The Union Ministry is implementing a multi-model terminal at Jogighopa with an estimated cost of Rs 68 crore, and its target schedule is December 2023. The ministry is implementing the Pandu Ship Repairing facility with an estimated cost of Rs 73 crore. Its expected target schedule is also December 2023.

"The Union Ministry of Tourism has also taken up Rs 11.83-crore project to erect tourist jetties at Jogighopa, Pandu, Biswanathghat and Nematighat. The expected completion of this project is December 2022.

"The support from experts in Tezpur University, IIT Guwahati and IIM Shillong will be crucial. The potential of the Brahmaputra and other rivers of the Northeast is huge. People will get direct benefits from the development of river tourism, cargo transportation and alternative economic transportation. The government's Jal Marg Vikas project is working to ensure optimal and holistic development of the region by rejuvenating the rivers as a viable and sustainable economic proposition."

Sonowal further said that the Ayush Ministry stressed Ayush education. "Each state will have an Ayush college. Apart from this, the Northeastern states will have around 1,000 Ayush health and wellness centres. The Guwahati Ayurvedic College, Jalukbari will be a centre of excellence for Panchakarma and Pharmacy."

He urged the people to take Ayush medicines as an immunity booster to keep the Covid-19 at bay.

Also Read:  Work started on dredging Brahmaputra: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal

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