Lok Sabha Question No. 4266 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Waterway from Prayagraj to Haldia Port
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Shri Laxmikant Pappu Nishad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4266

ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## WATERWAY FROM PRAYAGRAJ TO HALDIA PORT

4266. SHRI LAXMIKANT PAPPU NISHAD:

## Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state: पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

(a) whether the Government proposes to provide permanent job to the lakhs of people of Nishad Community whose livelihoods are in danger due to the waterways being built on the river Ganga from Prayagraj to Haldia Port of India; (b) whether  the  Government  is  contemplating  to  provide  permanent  job  to  one family member of each of the family who are losing their jobs due to construction of this waterway; (c) if so, the time by which it is likely to be provided; (d) the  city-wise  details  of  the  population  that  is  going  to  be  affected  from Prayagraj to Haldia, Kolkata due to this waterway; (e) whether any workshop has been organised so far, to hear the problem of the people being affected by this waterway, if so, the details thereof; and

- (f) the details of the fund sanctioned by the Government for this work?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a) to (f) The  Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river  system  between Haldia and Prayagraj  (1620  km)  was  declared  as  National  Waterway-1  (NW-1)  in  1986.  To augment the capacity of NW-1 (from Haldia to Varanasi 1390 Kilometer stretch), Jal Marg  Vikas  Project  (JMVP)  was  approved  by  Cabinet  Committee  on  Economic Affairs  (CCEA)  on  3 rd January,  2018  at  the  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  5369.18  Crore. Since then, under JMVP, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), an autonomous  organisation  under  Ministry  of  Ports,  Shipping  &  Waterways  has undertaken  various  developmental  works  on  the  waterway  for  improvement  of  its navigability and also development and maintenance of other infrastructure such as navigation  aids  and  terminal  facilities.  The  JMVP  has  the  potential  to  create  more than 1.3 lakh direct and  indirect employment.  The  detailed study regarding Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) has been carried out and as per the study, the project does not have any significant adverse impact on livelihood of any community.

To promote cross ferry movement, development of 60 community jetties has been taken  up  under  Jal  Marg  Vikas  Project-II  (JMVP-II)  by  IWAI.  Out  of  which  49 community  jetties  have  already  been  completed.  These  community  jetties  provide simple logistics solutions for small farmers, fishery units, unorganized farm producing units, horticulturists, florists and artisans  and other marginalised communities living along NW-1. These jetties enhance the accessibility and utility of NW-1, particularly for rural and semi-urban communities. These jetties aim to facilitate the movement of people,  goods,  and  services  in  an  eco-friendly  and  cost-effective  manner.  Under JMVP,  consultancy  Services  for  stakeholders  engagement,  livelihood  support  and communication  for  Inland  Water  Transport  (IWT)  promotion  on  NW-1  has  been engaged. More than 75 community meetings at district level along NW-1 have been conducted to educate on livelihood enhancement with the use of IWT infrastructure and use of waterway as an alternate and cheap mode of transport.

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