Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled ‘Jalvahak’, a major policy for cargo promotion, incentivising movement of long haul cargo via National Waterways 1 (river Ganga) as well as for National Waterways 2 (river Brahmaputra) and National Waterways 16 (river Barak), on Sunday.
The minister, who also flagged off cargo ships MV AAI, MV Homi Bhaba along with MV Trishul with two dumb barges—Ajay and Dikhu—from GR Jetty in Kolkata, said the Centre made a concerted effort to realize the tremendous potential of the country's India's inland waterways and added that the government intends to boost cargo movement via waterways, to decongest the railways and roadways.
"Jalvahak scheme incentivises long haul cargo on NW1, NW2 and and NW16, and provides an opportunity for the trade interests to explore movement of cargo via waterways with positive economic value proposition. Further, the regular scheduled freight service, which began from Kolkata, will ensure that the cargo is transported and delivered within a stipulated time frame," the minister said.
This will make people confident about the readiness of national waterways for regular movement of cargo in an efficient, economical and environmentally responsible mode of transportation, he added.
The first vessel, MV Trishul with two dumb barges—Ajay and Dikhu—is carrying 1,500 tonnes of cement from GR Jetty in Kolkata to Pandu in Guwahati via Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR). The second vessel, MV Aai, is carrying 1,000 tonnes of Gypsum to Patna while the third vessel, MV Homi Bhaba, is carrying 200 tonnes of coal to Varanasi.
According to a government statement, the cargo promotion scheme provides for direct incentive to the cargo owners to transport their goods via inland waterways for a distance of more than 300 km.
The scheme encourages cargo owners to hire vessels owned or operated by organisations other than Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) or Inland & Coastal Shipping Limited (ICSL). The incentive scheme is ideal for major shipping companies, freight forwarders, trade bodies and associations that handle bulk and containerised cargo.
Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur said there has been a revolutionary change in the waterways transport. "With these schemes, the waterways sector, especially in eastern India, may script a historic turnaround in logistics movement. The economical, effective, efficient and environment-friendly mode of transportation promises a new vista in cargo and passenger movement.”
