{"id":147530,"date":"2024-12-18T20:10:19","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T14:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=147530"},"modified":"2025-02-13T15:58:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T10:28:21","slug":"inland-water-transport-in-india","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/inland-water-transport-in-india","title":{"rendered":"Inland Water Transport (IWT) in India: Jalvahak Scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently the government launched a major policy called <\/span><b>\u2018Jalvahak\u2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to promote cargo movement via <\/span><b>inland waterways on National Waterways (NW)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> along the <\/span><b>Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Barak rivers.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About the Jalvahak Scheme<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Jalvahak Scheme is a <\/span><b>joint initiative<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the <\/span><b>Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Inland and Coastal Shipping Ltd (ICSL)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a fully-owned subsidiary of the<\/span><b> Shipping Corporation of India Ltd (SCIL).<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ministry: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ministry of Ports, Shipping &#038; Waterways (MoPSW)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Aim:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To unlock the <\/span><b>trade potential of inland waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reduce logistics costs, decongest road and rail networks, and promote sustainable transportation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Eligibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Cargo owners transporting goods over distances exceeding 300 km via waterways.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Benefit:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Offer <\/span><b>35% reimbursement of total operating costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> incurred.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Waterways Covered<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>National Waterways 1 (Ganga River), National Waterways 2 (Brahmaputra River),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><b> National Waterways 16 (Barak River) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">through the <\/span><b>Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Validity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The scheme is initially valid for <\/span><b>three years<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-147473\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/182-6762c2ef27be3.webp\" alt=\"Inland Water Transport\" width=\"799\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/182-6762c2ef27be3.webp 1067w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/182-6762c2ef27be3-300x192.webp 300w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/182-6762c2ef27be3-1024x655.webp 1024w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/182-6762c2ef27be3-768x492.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6988%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>About Inland Waterways Authority of India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) was established by the Government of India in <\/span><b>1986<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to regulate and develop inland waterways for shipping and navigation.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">It undertakes the development and maintenance of inland water transport (IWT) infrastructure on national waterways.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These projects are funded through grants provided by the <\/span><b>Ministry of Shipping<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> IWAI<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is headquartered in <\/span><b>Noida<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About National Waterways\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inland waterways are<\/span><b> navigable rivers, lakes, canals, and backwaters<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that are used to tr<\/span><b>ansport goods, materials, and passengers<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>National Waterways Act, 2016<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> declared a total of <\/span><b>111 inland waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as national waterways, which include five waterways that were previously declared as national waterways.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Out of the 111 national waterways, <\/span><b>13 are currently operational<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for shipping, navigation, and the movement of cargo and passenger vessels.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>National Waterways (NW 1, NW 2, and NW 16)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6988%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 13.9558%; text-align: center;\"><b>National Waterway<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.3655%; text-align: center;\"><b>Route<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.2691%; text-align: center;\"><b>River System<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.2329%; text-align: center;\"><b>Key Locations<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 18.348%; text-align: center;\"><b>Length<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 13.9558%;\"><b>NW 1<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.3655%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allahabad (Prayagraj) to Haldia<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.2691%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ganges, Bhagirathi, Hooghly<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.2329%;\"><b>Fixed terminals: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Haldia, Farrakka, Patna.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Floating terminals:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kolkata, Bhagalpur, Varanasi, Allahabad<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 18.348%;\"><b>Longest waterway <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in India (1,620 km)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 13.9558%;\"><b>NW 2<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.3655%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sadiya to Dhubri (Assam)<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.2691%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brahmaputra River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.2329%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major towns along the stretch include Sadiya, Dibrugarh, Tezpur, and Dhubri.<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 18.348%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">891 km<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 13.9558%;\"><b>NW 16<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 16.3655%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lakhipur to Bhanga (Assam)<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 17.2691%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barak River<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.2329%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major locations include <\/span><b>Lakhipur, Silchar, and Bhanga.<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>WAI has two permanent terminals on NW-16, one each at Badarpur (on NW-14) &#038; Karimganj.<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 18.348%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">121 km<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Significance of Inland Water Transport (IWT) in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fuel Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: IWT is a highly fuel-efficient and cost-effective mode of transport compared to road and rail.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One liter of fuel can move <\/span><b>24 tonnes of cargo over 1 km via IWT<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, compared to <\/span><b>20 km by rail<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>16 km by road<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IWT reduces logistics costs, which currently account for <\/span><b>14% of India\u2019s GDP (Economic Survey 2022-23)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, higher than the global average of <\/span><b>8-10%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Eco-Friendly Transportation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: IWT has minimal environmental impact, producing lower emissions compared to other modes of transport.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increased use of IWT supports India\u2019s commitment to the <\/span><b>Paris Climate Agreement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> related to climate action\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Alleviation of Congestion on Roads and Railways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: IWT offers a viable alternative to road and rail networks, reducing congestion and wear-and-tear on infrastructure.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government aims to shift <\/span><b>800 million tonne-kilometers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of cargo to waterways by 2027 through the <\/span><b>Jalvahak Scheme<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kolkata-Varanasi stretch (NW-1) now facilitates scheduled cargo movement, reducing road dependency.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Boosting Regional and Industrial Development<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: IWT supports regional industries and trade by providing economical transport options for bulk goods like coal, cement, and fertilizers.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cargo movement on national waterways has increased from <\/span><b>18.07 MMT (2013-14)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>132.89 MMT (2023-24)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enhanced Connectivity for Remote and Northeastern Regions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: IWT improves access to remote areas like Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, connecting them to major trade routes.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>NW-2 (Brahmaputra)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is critical for transporting goods to <\/span><b>Guwahati and other Northeastern<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> cities\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tourism and Employment Generation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Inland waterways serve as hubs for tourism and create jobs in vessel operations, logistics, and related sectors.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kerala&#8217;s <\/span><b>NW-3<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> boosts tourism through backwater cruises and supports local livelihoods in hospitality and transport\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Economic Viability and Trade Boost<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: IWT is crucial for fostering trade through <\/span><b>international protocol<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s like the <\/span><b>Indo-Bangladesh Waterways Agreement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, enhancing inter-country cargo movement.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>The Kolkata-Pandu rout<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e via Bangladesh facilitates the shipment of goods such as fly ash and fertilizers to Bangladesh\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7967%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Global Examples of Successful Inland Waterways<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Mississippi River System (United States)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Spanning over 3,700 km, it is one of the most extensive inland waterway systems in the world.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Used for transporting bulk commodities like grains, coal, and petroleum products.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Handles over <\/span><b>500 million tonnes of cargo annually<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, contributing significantly to the U.S. economy.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Rhine River (Europe)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A major waterway flowing through Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, connecting to the North Sea.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Supports trade by linking industrial hubs like Rotterdam (Europe&#8217;s largest port).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carries <\/span><b>over 300 million tonnes of cargo annually<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including chemicals, coal, and agricultural products.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Yangtze River (China)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The longest river in Asia, crucial for transporting goods in one of the world\u2019s largest manufacturing hubs.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accounts for over <\/span><b>40% of China\u2019s inland waterway traffic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, moving goods like steel and containers.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Danube River (Europe)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Flows through 10 European countries, connecting central Europe with the Black Sea.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Supports both freight and passenger transport, fostering trade and tourism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facilitates trade across <\/span><b>19 ports<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, moving bulk goods such as grain, iron ore, and oil.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Volga River (Russia)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The longest river in Europe, forming the backbone of Russia\u2019s inland waterway network.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over <\/span><b>200 million tonnes of cargo<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are moved annually along the Volga and its canals.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Mekong River (Southeast Asia)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Flows through six countries, including China, Vietnam, and Thailand, serving as a critical trade corridor.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Supports agricultural exports like rice and fisheries, especially in Vietnam&#8217;s Mekong Delta.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facilitates international trade with an annual cargo volume of approximately <\/span><b>60 million tonnes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Inland waterway network of Netherlands:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Netherlands has a 6,228 kilometer inland waterway network, including 3,310 kilometers of small waterways.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">In 2019, inland ships transported 349 million tonnes in the Netherlands.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Challenges in Inland Waterways in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inadequate Depth and Navigability Issues<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A significant portion of India\u2019s waterways has insufficient depth, making them unsuitable for larger vessels.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Seasonal siltation in rivers like Ganga and Brahmaputra<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> creates shoals, restricting year-round navigation. Maintenance dredging is required annually, but it remains inadequate, impacting consistent cargo movement\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seasonal nature of Peninsular rivers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Infrastructure Deficiencies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: There is a lack of modern terminals, night navigation aids, and vessel repair facilities.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has <\/span><b>only a few functional intermodal terminals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (e.g., <\/span><b>Haldia, Sahibganj, Varanasi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), limiting connectivity\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The absence of <\/span><b>night navigation system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s like<\/span><b> DGPS and RIS <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hinders seamless operations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Underinvestment in IWT Sector<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Public investment in inland waterways is much lower compared to road and rail infrastructure.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IWT accounts for only <\/span><b>0.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of<\/span><b> India\u2019s total transport share,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> while road and rail dominate with <\/span><b>60%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>25%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, respectively\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Projects like the<\/span><b> Jal Marg Vikas Project (NW-1)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> face funding delays\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regulatory and Policy Gaps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: There is<\/span><b> a lack of integration between state and central policies,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> leading to fragmented development.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Differences in state regulations hinder the uniform development of IWT corridors.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modal integration with road and rail remains inadequate, affecting<\/span><b> last-mile connectivity\u200b.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Low Private Sector Participation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Private investments in vessel building and cargo handling are limited due to high capital costs and lack of long-term cargo commitments.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies hesitate to invest in barge construction without assured traffic\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vessel-building costs are not subsidized, making private participation less viable\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Environmental and Geo-Political Challenges<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Rivers face ecological threats like pollution and reduced water flows due to irrigation and industrial activities.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cross-border routes via<\/span><b> Bangladesh (Indo-Bangladesh Protocol)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> face delays due to operational inefficiencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy efficiency of waterways is offset by higher turnaround times along international routes\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lack of Skilled Workforce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: There is a shortage of trained personnel for vessel operations and infrastructure management.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s IWT sector lacks adequate research and training facilities, slowing modernization efforts\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Government Initiatives to Boost Inland Waterways in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) (2014-15)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Objective: Develop <\/span><b>National Waterway-1 (NW-1)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the<\/span><b> Ganga River from Haldia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (West Bengal) to<\/span><b> Prayagraj <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Uttar Pradesh).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Features:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction of multimodal terminals at Haldia, Varanasi, and Sahibganj.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Installation of Digital Global Positioning System (DGPS) and River Information Systems (RIS).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dredging to maintain a <\/span><b>Least Available Depth (LAD)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of 3 meters for seamless navigation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fact: The project is supported by a <\/span><b>\u20b94,633 crore loan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from the World Bank\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was established in<\/span><b> October 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to develop India&#8217;s inland waterways and Inland Water Transport (IWT) ecosystem.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Objective<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Improving cargo efficiency, Improving passenger movement, and Developing river cruise tourism.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Chaired by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Union <\/span><b>Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and includes participation from State Governments and Union Territories.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>National Waterways Act, 2016<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Declared <\/span><b>111 waterways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> across 24 states as National Waterways (NWs).<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Significance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Provides the legal framework for developing IWT infrastructure and integrating waterways into India&#8217;s logistics network\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) Routes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Agreement to enhance<\/span><b> trade and cargo movement<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through inland waterways connecting India and Bangladesh.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Kolkata-Pandu (Assam) and Kolkata-Dhaka <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">routes facilitate cross-border trade and link India\u2019s northeast with the rest of the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The IBP route helps avoid the congested<\/span><b> &#8220;Chicken\u2019s Neck&#8221; corridor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for northeast connectivity\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Sagarmala Project (2015)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Focus:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Develop port-led infrastructure and integrate inland waterways with coastal shipping.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Initiatives:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establish freight villages and logistics parks near waterways.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen last-mile connectivity between inland terminals and major ports\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Maritime India Vision 2030:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Released in <\/span><b>2021<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aims for the holistic development of India\u2019s maritime sector, encompassing <\/span><b>ports, shipping, and waterways.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Development of Terminals and Navigation Aids<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Construction of multimodal terminals to facilitate cargo handling.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deployment of <\/span><b>RIS (Real-Time Information System) and DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for safe and efficient navigation on NWs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Terminals at Sahibganj and Varanasi cater to coal and fertilizer transport\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tax and Subsidy Support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) provides subsidies to reduce operational costs for vessel operators.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Comparative Advantage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> IWT is <\/span><b>more cost-effective<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at \u20b91.06\/tonne-km compared to rail (\u20b91.41) and road (\u20b92.58)\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: conceived in 2008 jointly by India and Myanmar.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Objective: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Link the eastern Indian state of Mizoram to Sittwe Port in Myanmar through waterways and roads.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Significance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Enhances trade and connectivity for India\u2019s northeastern states\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Hydrographic Surveys and Dredging Projects<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regular surveys to identify navigable channels and dredging to maintain adequate depth for commercial navigation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Focus Rivers:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ganga, Brahmaputra, Barak, and Godavari<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward for Developing Inland Waterways in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enhanced Infrastructure Development<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Focus on <\/span><b>building and upgrading terminals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, night navigation systems, and vessel repair facilities.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accelerate dredging activities to maintain adequate depth for year-round navigation on key waterways like<\/span><b> NW-1 and NW<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-2.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Modernizing infrastructure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can attract private sector investments and boost multimodal connectivity\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Policy and Regulatory Reforms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Create <\/span><b>uniform regulations <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">across states to ensure seamless navigation.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integrate inland waterways with road, rail, and coastal shipping through a <\/span><b>National Integrated Transport Policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Streamline operations under the<\/span><b> Indo-Bangladesh Protocol <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to reduce delays and costs for international trade\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Incentivize Private Sector Participation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Provide <\/span><b>tax benefits, subsidies, and financial incentive<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">s for private investments in vessel building and operations.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Long-term cargo agreements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with industries to secure traffic and ensure economic viability of private operations\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Focus on Regional Connectivity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Develop waterways in underutilized regions like the <\/span><b>Northeast and peninsular India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to boost trade and industrial growth.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen connectivity on <\/span><b>NW-16 (Barak River) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and integrate it with multimodal networks\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Adoption of Green Technology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Promote the use of clean energy and fuel-efficient vessels to reduce the environmental impact of waterway operations.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introduce electric or hybrid vessels to align with India\u2019s climate action goals\u200b\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Capacity Building and Skill Development<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Establish<\/span><b> training centers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to develop skilled manpower for vessel operations and maintenance.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Invest in research and development for<\/span><b> innovative solutions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to navigability and logistics challenges\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inland waterways hold immense potential to transform India\u2019s logistics landscape by offering a <\/span><b>cost-effective, eco-friendly alternative<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to road and rail transport. <\/span><b>Strategic investments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, policy reforms, and <\/span><b>private sector<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> participation are essential to fully harness this mode&#8217;s benefits and drive <\/span><b>sustainable economic growth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td 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rivers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":147483,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2100],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147530"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147530"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147532,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147530\/revisions\/147532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147483"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147530"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=147530"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=147530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}