Lok Sabha Question No. 1985 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-10
Subject: Inland Waterways
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: VASANTHI M., B. SREERAMULU

## पोतप�रवहनमंत्

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1985 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th  DECEMBER, 2015

## INLAND WATERWAYS

1985.SHRIMATI VASANTHI M. : SHRI B. SRIRAMULU:

Will the Minister of SHIPPING be pleased to state:

- (a)    whether the country's inland waterways are not utilized to the full potential;
- (b)   if so, the details thereof along with the country's cargo transported through inland waterways during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (c)    whether the Government has formulated any proposal to increase the use of inland waterways and coastal shipping for greater cargo shipment;
- (d)      if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)      the total funds sanctioned and utilized for the development of waterways in the country during the said period?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SHIPPING (SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

- (a)&(b):Yes, Madam. The potential of the Inland Water Transport sector has not been fully realised. The investment made for this sector was also negligible vis-à-vis expenditure incurred in the road / rail networks.  Only Waterways which are declared as National Waterways (NWs)  come  in  the  purview  of  Union  Government  for  development  for  navigable purposes.  The  Union  Government  has  so  far  declared  following  five  waterways  as National Waterways (NWs).
- (i)    Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system (Allahabad-Haldia-1620 km)
- (ii)  River Brahmaputra (Dhubri-Sadiya - 891 km).
- (iii) West Coast Canal (Kottapuram-Kollam) along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals - (205 km).
- (iv)  Kakinada- Puducherry canals along with Godavari and Krishna rivers (1078 km).
- (v)   East Coast Canal integrated with Brahmani river and Mahanadi delta rivers (588 km).

The  cargo  moved  on  National  Waterways  -  1,  2  &  3  in  the  last  three  years  and  the current year till July, 2015 is enclosed as Annex -1 .

- (c)&(d):Yes, Madam. The following steps have been taken by the Government to encourage growth in the transport of goods through coastal shipping and inland waterways;
- (i)    A River-Sea Vessels (RSV) Notification for moderating the technical and manning requirement for vessels operating within the Indian territorial waters was issued by the Directorate General of Shipping on 31 st July, 2013.
- (ii)  Directorate  General of Shipping has issued an order declaring the Inland Vessel (I V) limits for facilitating coastal trade operations.
- (iii)  Coastal Shipping Rules for coastal vessels operating within 20 miles off the coast have been issued by the Directorate General of Shipping on 04 th March, 2014.
- (iv)  All  major  ports  have  been  advised  to  introduce  Green Channel for  coastal cargo, Priority berthing for coastal vessels and construction of exclusive coastal berths.
- (v)   Government has exempted customs and Central Excise duty on bunker fuels (IFO 180 and IFO 380 CST) for carrying containerised cargo namely, export-import cargo or empty containers or domestic cargo, between ports in India.
- (e) The  total  funds  sanctioned  and  utilized  by  IWAI  for  the  development  of  existing National Waterways for the last three years are tabulated below.

(Rs in crore)

| Year    |     BE | RE                | Exp.(IWAI)                                            |
|---------|--------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
| 2010-11 | 115    | 137.59            | 117.63                                                |
| 2011-12 | 130    | 115.79            | 97.97                                                 |
| 2012-13 | 211.72 | 148.11            | 151.53                                                |
| 2013-14 | 200    | 144.00            | 136.41                                                |
| 2014-15 | 200    | 117.917           | 118.87                                                |
| 2015-16 | 300    | 698.00 (proposed) | 185.00 (provisional expenditure up to 30th Oct. 2015) |

Annexe-I

## INLAND WATERWAYS AUTHORITY OF INDIA (IWAI)

## Cargo Movement for National Waterways-1, 2 & 3, Goa and Mumbai Waterways from 2012-13 to 2015-16

(In Tonnes)

| STRETCH                            | Unit   | 2012-13    | 2013-14    | 2014-15    | 2015-16 (Upto October, 2015)   |
|------------------------------------|--------|------------|------------|------------|--------------------------------|
| National Waterway-1                | MT     | 2,716,436  | 3,349,138  | 4,123,236  | 1,589,278                      |
| National Waterway-2                | MT     | 2,426,804  | 493,414    | 519,722    | 339,218                        |
| National Waterway-3                | MT     | 1,236,403  | 1,066,006  | 965,246    | 627,226                        |
| Total of National Waterways        | MT     | 6,379,642  | 4,908,558  | 5,608,204  | 2,555,722                      |
| The Goa Waterways                  | MT     | 7,582,266  | 1,003,364  | 976,987    | -                              |
| Mumbai Waterways (Dharamtar Creek) | MT     | 9,722,819  | 10,178,956 | 22,544,335 | -                              |
| Grand Total                        | MT     | 23,684,728 | 16,090,878 | 29,129,526 | 2,555,722                      |

## Note:-

1. These figures are collected by IWAI from IWT Operators.
2. Average IWT distance of 50 km in Goa and 54 km in Mumbai Waterways has been considered.
3. For 2015-16 data is as estimated.

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