Lok Sabha Question No. 3004 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-17
Subject: National Policy on Waterways
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: ANTO  ANTONY, K. MARAGATHAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3004 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2015

## NATIONAL POLICY ON WATERWAYS

## 3004. SHRI ANTO ANTONY: SHRIMATI K. MARAGATHAM:

Will the Minister of SHIPPING be pleased to state:

## पोत प�रवहन मंत्

- (a) whether the Government has formulated a National Policy on Waterways and if so, the details and the salient features of the said policy;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to declare more inland waterways in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government has received any proposal from the State of Kerala to declare more inland waterways and if so, the details and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (d) whether the Government has asked the State Governments to join hands in developing 101 waterways likely to be declared national waterways as part of an initiative to make the vast network ready for business and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  only  five  waterways  have  been  declared  as  national  waterways  in  the  past thirty years and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)        The  Government  is  committed  to  develop  Inland  Water  Transport  as  a  cost  effective, environment  friendly  and  fuel  efficient  mode  of  transport,  especially  for  bulk  goods  and  over dimensional cargo, wherever it is techno-economically feasible.
- (b)       Yes, Madam.   A proposal for declaration of 106 new National Waterways as in the National Waterway Bill, 2015 is under consideration of the Parliament.
- (c)          Yes, Madam.  As per request received from the Government of Kerala the waterways namely,  AVM  Canal,  Alappuzha-  Changanassery  Canal,  Alappuzha-  Kottayam  -  Athirampuzha Canal, Kottayam-Vaikom Canal and Extension of West Coast Canal have been included in the list of 106 proposed new inland National Waterways.
- (d)          After declaration of above mentioned new waterways as National Waterways, action will be taken in consultation with the respective State Governments for development of these waterways for navigation purpose in terms of land acquisition, widening of navigational channel, dumping of dredge spoil, setting up of infrastructure facilities along the bank for loading/ unloading of cargo etc. and in other development activities depending on expertise available with them.   Their views have already been obtained while introducing the National Waterways Bill, 2015 in the Parliament.
- (e)          Yes, Madam.  The five waterways, declared as National Waterways are as under:
- (i)     Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system (Allahabad-Haldia-1620 km) as NW-1.
- (ii) River Brahmaputra (Dhubri-Sadiya - 891 km) as NW-2.
- (iii)        West  Coast  Canal  (Kottapuram-Kollam)  along  with  Udyogmandal  and  Champakara Canals - (205 km) as NW-3.
- (iv)   Kakinada- Puducherry canals along with Godavari and Krishna rivers (1078 km) as NW-4.
- (v)    East Coast Canal integrated with Brahmaniriver and Mahanadi delta rivers (588 km) as NW-5.

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