The Central Government has taken various steps to increase Inland Water Transport (IWT) including development of National Waterways and providing the required inland water transport infrastructure.
Further, for development of waterways of North Eastern Region, there is a central sector plan scheme under which 100% grant is provided by the Ministry of Shipping to the respective State Governments of the North East.
Inland Water Transport (IWT) accounts for less than 1% modal share (in terms of tonne – km.) in India which is very little in comparison to some other countries.
Government, as an ongoing exercise, identifies and considers proposals to declare various stretches of rivers as National Waterways, depending, inter-alia, on least available water depth, width of fairway, continuous stretch of the waterway and feasibility of developing the waterways on commercial basis.
[mappress]
Dredging Today Staff, May 10, 2012; Image: dredge-india