Lok Sabha clears Bill to develop 101 waterways; Government aims to garner Rs 1 lakh crore.
A bill to develop 101 waterways was passed by Lok Sabha today with government saying it was aiming to garner Rs 1 lakh crore to fund projects to provide low-cost river transportation as ‘Make-in-India’ dream will not be realised if logistics cost are not reduced.
Citing the “success stories” of Europe as well as China in the use of waterways, Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said India is lagging behind and outlined how the government is now developing national waterways to cut logistics cost, make Indian industry competitive and help developing smart townships along the rivers.
Replying to a debate on The National Waterways Bill, 2015, he sought the support of states in this endeavour.
The House later passed the bill by voice vote after approval of the official amendments, mostly of technical nature, and rejecting an amendment proposed by N K Premachandran (RSP).
Gadkari said his ministry is working to develop three more major ports, besides the existing 12 as the aim is to reduce the logistic cost with a view to promote exports, generate employment, boost tourism and growth.
Responding to members’ questions over funding of the ambitious waterways projects, the minister said he is aiming to garner Rs 1 lakh crore through innovative methods, which include a Rs 50,000 crore from World Bank, investment of profits of shipping PSUs into a subsidiary company and obtaining dollar loan at cheaper rates, besides seeking funds from the Budget.
He said his ministry has hired foreign consultants to seek technical expertise for construction of water ports.
“Make-in-India dream cannot be realised if logistics cost are not reduced. So waterways are being given a priority. We want to work with state government support. If some state government says they do not want to work, we will not work. We will work with cooperation of states,” Gadkari said.
Talking about the measures being taken, he said in two years’ time Ganga will look clean, logistic cost will reduce to 15 per cent from 30 per cent, market competition will increase and new township will be set up along river.
The Bill seeks to develop 101 waterways across the country and is aimed at providing a cheaper mode of transport and reducing traffic burden on roads. The new 101 new inland waterways will be in addition to the five existing National Waterways. The government has said promotion of waterways is a priority for this as it is a cheaper mode of transportation compared to roads and railways.
Gadkari talked about development of Yamuna river way and said in next two years, it would be possible for tourists to travel to Taj Mahal from Delhi on catamaran. Encouragement to use of waterways will also help in reducing pollution, the minister said, adding LNG terminals will be built to ensure supply of natural gas for transportation.
Gadkari said a major portion of the traffic in developed countries moves through waterways and that his Ministry has learnt from the “success stories” of countries like Holland and China. Lamenting that adequate attention has not been paid for development of waterways in the country, Gadkari said “inland water ways authority of India has not been working professionally and lacks speed”.
He said development of waterways will also help in reducing road accidents. About 5 lakh accidents occur on roads every year in which about 1.5 lakh lose their lives. “Although we are increasing road length from 96,000 km to 1.5 lakh, we have to go for new options with increasing pollution,” he said.
Multimodal terminals at Allahabad, Varanasi, Gazipur in UP, Sahibganj in Jharkhand and Haldia in West Bengal will be set up which will have rail and road connectivity. Besides, 27 water ports including art Patna will be built. Gadkari maintained that the government is aiming to reduce traffic burden from roads, which will also help curb pollution, by promoting water transportation where the cost is barely 25 paise a km in comparison to Re 1 by railways and Rs 1.5 a km through roads. Inland waterways, comprising rivers, lakes, canals, creeks and backwaters, extend about 14,500 km across the country. However, potential of this mode of transport has not been fully exploited so far. Gadkari said the proposed legislation will help in business and address problems of unemployment and fishermen. The government has already decided to launch PM Jal Marg Yojna and projects for setting up dry and satellite ports, besides converting riverways into waterways.
Five of the river-stretches, which have been declared as National Waterways, include Ganga-Bhagirathi- Hooghly river system (Allahabad-Haldia-1,620 km); the Brahmaputra (Dhubri-Sadiya-891 km); West Coast Canal (Kottapuram-Kollam) along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals-(205 km); Kakinada-Puducherry canals along with Godavari and Krishna rivers (1,078 km) and East Coast Canal integrated with Brahmani river and Mahanadi delta rivers (588 km).
Participating in discussion, members from BJD, Shiv Sena and TMC supported the National Waterways Bill.
Thus, Lok Sabha has unanimously passed the National Waterways Bill, 2015 by voice vote after it was introduced by Union Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The bill aims at declaring 106 additional inland waterways as National Waterways in addition to the five existing National Waterways.
Key facts
- The National Waterways Bill, 2015 repeals the five Acts that declare the existing national waterways. These existing five national waterways are now covered under the Bill.
- The enactment of this Act (Central legislation) will pave way for the inclusion of 106 additional inlands waterways.
- Thus the total number of national waterways numbers will go up to 111 from existing five national waterways.
- The Schedule mentioned in the Bill also specifies the extent of development to be undertaken on each waterway.
- Declaration of these National Waterways would enable Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to develop the feasible stretches for Shipping and Navigation.
- Inland waterways comprise mainly rivers, lakes, canals, creeks and backwaters. It extends about 14,500 km across the country. However, potential of this mode of transport has not been fully exploited so far.
Advantages
- Inland waterways are recognised as a fuel efficient, cost effective and environment friendly mode of transport.
- The statutory status to the inland waterways would pave of for investments in inland waterways transportation sector which has been neglected in the past.
- It would provide a cheaper mode of transport and reducing traffic burden and congestion on roads and railways.
- It would play pivotal role in reducing logistic cost of transportation of goods and ultimately lead to reduction in their price in the market benefiting trade, industry, farmers, fishermen.
- Being clean mode of transportation it will also help in reducing pollution.