HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Dec 15: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled a major policy for Cargo Promotion – ‘Jalvahak’ – 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) here on Sunday.
Sonowal also flagged off cargo ships- MV AAI, MV Homi Bhaba along with MV Trishul with two Dumb Barges Ajay & Dikhu – from the GR Jetty.
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This marks the beginning of fixed Scheduled Service of Cargo Vessels from Haldia for NW 1 and NW 2.
“The Fixed Day Scheduled Sailing Service will ply vessels between Kolkata – Patna – Varanasi – Patna – Kolkata stretch of NW 1 and between Kolkata and Pandu in Guwahati on NW 2 via Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR),” an official statement said.
The Union minister of State for MoPSW, Shantanu Thakur and minister of State for Transportation (Independent Charge), Uttar Pradesh Government, Daya Shankar Singh also joined the significant occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal, said, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Government has made a concerted effort to realise the tremendous potential of our rich network of inland waterways”.
The Union minister said that with its advantage of being an economical, ecologically sound and efficient mode of transportation, adding, “We want to boost cargo movement via waterways, to decongest the railways and roadways. Jalvahak scheme incentivises long haul cargo on NW1, NW2 & 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. This will also generate confidence among our users about the readiness of national waterways for regular movement of cargo in an efficient, economical and environmentally responsible mode of transportation. By empowering our vessel operators with this incentive scheme and encouraging our business enterprises with safe and timely delivery of cargo in a cost effective manner, this adds meaningfully to the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s vision of transformation via transportation as India sails towards becoming a Viksit Bharat”.
As per the statement, the first vessel – MV Trishul with two Dumb Barges Ajay and Dikhu – is carrying 1500 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 1000 tonnes of Gypsum to Patna while the third vessel – MV Homi Bhaba – is carrying 200 tonnes of coal to Varanasi.
The cargo promotion scheme provides direct incentive to the cargo owners to transport their goods via inland waterways for a distance of more than 300 kms. This is a joint effort by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency of waterways development in the country, as well as by the Inland & Coastal Shipping Limited (ICSL), a fully owned subsidiary of the Shipping Corporation of India Limited (SCIL).
“The ‘Jalvahak’ scheme encourages to reduce logistics costs, decongest road and railways, and adapting to a sustainable mode of transportation,” the statement added.
It further said that the ‘Jalvahak’ scheme offers reimbursement upto 35% of total operating expenditure incurred while transporting cargo via waterways on NW 1 (Ganga river), NW 2 (Brahmaputra river) & NW 16 (Barak river) via Indo Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route.
“To encourage the business proposition of vessel operators, the scheme encourages cargo owners to hire vessels owned or operated by organisations other than IWAI or ICSL. The incentive scheme is ideal for major shipping companies, freight forwarders, trade bodies and associations that handle bulk and containerised cargo. By opting for the scheme, it provides them an opportunity to optimise their supply chain network. The scheme is initially valid for 3 years,” the statement read.
India boasts an extensive network of inland waterways comprising rivers, canals, backwaters, and creeks. Of the total navigable length of 20,236 km, 17,980 km consists of rivers, and 2,256 km is made up of canals, both suitable for mechanised craft. However, freight transportation via waterways remains significantly under-utilised compared to countries like the United States, China, and those in the European Union. With focused development, India’s national waterways are poised to become the nation’s lifeline, facilitating efficient transportation.
