Inland Waterways Development Council
10.01.2024
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For Prelims:About Inland Waterways Development Council,Significance,Key Points |
Why in the news?
The maiden edition of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) in Kolkata culminated recently.
Key Points
- The meet, chaired by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal was attended by key stakeholders including ministerial representations from states as well as prominent stakeholders including policy makers and industry leaders.
- India has about 14,500 km of navigable waterways which consist of rivers, canals, backwaters, creeks, etc.
- As per The National Waterways Act, 2016, there are 111 officially notified Inland National Waterways (NWs) in India identified for the purposes of inland water transport.
About Inland Waterways Development Council:-
- The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) came into existence on 27th October 1986 for development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.
- The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national waterways through grants received from the Ministry of Shipping.
- The head office of the Authority is at Noida.
- Objective: development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.
- The inaugural IWDC meeting boasts a packed agenda with consecutive sessions addressing vital issues in the development of inland waterways in India.
- 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.
Significance:-
- The establishment of the Inland Waterways Development Council in October 2023 by the Government of India underscores its commitment to the 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: PIB