Syllabus: GS3/ Economy
Context
- Recently the third meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) was held at Kochi, Kerala.
Current Status of Inland Waterways in India
- India has an extensive inland waterways network of 20,236 km, comprising 17,980 km of rivers and 2,256 km of canals suitable for mechanised crafts.
- India currently has 111 National Waterways (NWs), as declared under the National Waterways Act, 2016.
- Cargo transported on national waterways increased from 18.07 Million Metric Tonnes (MT) in 2013-14 to 145.5 Million MT in 2024–25— a growth of over 700%.
- India aims to achieve 200 Million MT of cargo movement via waterways by 2030 and 500 Million MT by 2047.
Significance of the Inland Waterways
- Reducing Logistics Costs: Logistics costs in India account for 14% of GDP, significantly higher than the global average of 8-10%.
- Decongestion: Promoting inland waterways will help alleviate congestion and reduce the burden on these critical transport networks.
- Eco-Friendly Transport: Reduced fuel consumption and emissions align with India’s commitment to sustainable development goals (SDGs) and its climate action targets.
- Economic Benefits: Increased cargo movement via inland waterways will bolster trade and commerce, especially in regions adjoining National Waterways.
Challenges in Boosting Inland Waterways
- Infrastructure Deficiencies: Limited availability of modern terminals, jetties, and navigational aids hampers seamless cargo transportation.
- Depth and Navigability Issues: Many river stretches suffer from seasonal fluctuations, affecting their navigability.
- Competition from Road and Rail: Despite incentives, the established dominance of road and rail transport limits the shift towards waterways.
- Regional Disparities: Inland waterways infrastructure is largely concentrated in certain regions, leaving others underdeveloped.
Government Initiatives
- Jalvahak scheme: The scheme offers direct incentives to cargo owners for transporting goods via inland waterways for distances exceeding 300 km.
- Reimbursement of up to 35% of total operating expenditure incurred during cargo transportation is provided.
- Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP): Developing NW-1 with modern infrastructure and terminals.
- Sagarmala Project: Integration of inland waterways with coastal shipping and ports.
- Freight Village Development: Establishing logistic hubs near key waterways to boost multimodal transport.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
- IWAI, is an autonomous organization constituted in 1986 under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985.
- IWAI is primarily responsible for development, maintenance and regulation of those waterways which have been declared as National Waterways under National Waterways Act, 2016.
- The head office of IWAI is located at Noida.
Inland Waterways Development Council
- The Inland Waterways Development Council was established in 2023 by the Government of India.
- Objective: 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.
Source: BL
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