‘Jalvahak’ scheme launched

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Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal launched the ‘Jalvahak’ scheme.
It aims to unlock the trade potential of inland waterways as well as reduce logistics costs and decongest road and rail networks.
The scheme is considered a major step towards promoting sustainable and cost-effective transportation on National Waterways-1 (Ganga), 2 (Brahmaputra) and 16 (Barak River).
The Union Minister also flagged off two dumb barges Ajay and Dikhu along with MV AAI, MV Homi Bhabha and MV Trishul from GR Jetty.

It has been designed to optimize supply chains for major shipping companies, freight forwarders and trade bodies.
Under this scheme, cargo owners transporting goods for a distance of more than 300 km through waterways will get reimbursement of up to 35 per cent on operating costs.
The scheme will be valid for three years.
The scheme will reduce the cost of transporting goods through waterways from West Bengal to Patna, Banaras and Guwahati.
The scheme will be jointly implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India and Inland and Coastal Shipping Limited (ICSL), a subsidiary of the Shipping Corporation of India.
This fixed-time sailing service will ply vessels between Kolkata-Patna-Varanasi and Kolkata-Pandu (Guwahati) routes.

According to Sarbananda Sonowal “Revived National Waterways have improved their performance potential significantly.
The total volume of cargo transported through it has increased from 18.07 million MT in 2013-14 to 132.89 million MT in 2023-24.
It is registering a growth of more than 600%.
A target of 200 million MT cargo transportation through waterways has been set by the year 2030.

It means transport of people, goods, and materials through rivers, canals, lakes, and other navigable water bodies.
It is a cost-effective mode of transport of bulk cargo such as coal, iron ore, cement, food grains, and fertilizers.
Some of the major routes of inland waterways in India are ... is a cost-effective mode of transport of bulk cargo such as coal, iron ore, cement, food grains, and fertilizers.
Some of the major routes of inland waterways in India are:
It is a cost-effective mode of transport of bulk cargo such as coal, iron ore, cement, food grains, and fertilizers. Examples-
Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly rivers, Brahmaputra River, Barak River, Goa rivers, backwaters of Kerala, inland waters in Mumbai, and deltaic areas of Godavari-Krishna rivers
To promote this transportation, 111 inland waterways have been declared as 'National Waterways' under the National Waterways Act, 2016.
The total length of these waterways is 20,275 km.