Sarbananda Sonowal To Hold First Meeting Of Inland Waterways Development Council On Monday

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal will on Monday chair the first inland waterways development council meeting in Kolkata and launch 'Harit Nauka' guidelines along with the 'River Cruise Tourism Roadmap', an official statement said.

The statement further said the day-long meeting on board the vessel MV Ganga Queen, will bring together key figures from across the waterways states and central government.

Additionally, the event anticipates the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), marking collaborative efforts towards advancing the inland waterways and associated sector, it added.

According to the statement, the sessions encompass topics such as fairway development, private sector engagement and best practices, optimizing cargo transport efficiency in Inland Water Transport (IWT), fostering the promotion and development of eco-friendly vessels for passenger transportation, exploring the economic advantages of river cruise tourism, and emphasizing sustainable practices, among others.

In West Bengal, the statement said the Sagarmala Programme is actively driving maritime development with 62 projects valued at Rs 16,300 crore.

Notably, 19 projects worth approximately Rs 1,100 crore have been successfully completed, while 43 projects, totalling around Rs 15,000 crore, are at various stages of implementation, it added.

The statement noted that the establishment of the Inland Waterways Development Council in October 2023 by the government of India underscores its commitment to a comprehensive development of inland waterways and the associated Inland Water Transport (IWT) ecosystem for improved cargo efficiency, passenger movement, and river cruise tourism, with active participation from States and Union Territories.