Sonowal leads the inaugural meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council

The Inland Waterways Development Council’s first meeting is taking place in Kolkata, organized by the Inland Waterways Authority of India under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. The meeting is being held on board the ship MV Ganga Queen and will bring together key players from waterway states and the central government. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal, will attend and unveil landmark initiatives during the meeting.

The event is expected to witness the signing of several Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs), covering joint efforts to develop inland waterways and related sectors. The Ministry has set ambitious targets for increasing the modal share of Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) and significantly increasing inland waterway cargo volume. The Sagarmala program in West Bengal is actively driving maritime development with a number of projects in various stages of implementation, including those aimed at improving road connectivity, facilitating port and commercial users, and modernizing infrastructure.

Notable upcoming projects include the establishment of the Center for Inland and Coastal Maritime Technology at IIT Kharagpur, with financial support from Sagarmala, and erosion control works on the left bank of the river Hooghly/Bhagirathi. The establishment of the Inland Waterways Development Council underlines the Government of India’s commitment to the comprehensive development of inland waterways and the associated ecosystem, focusing on improved freight efficiency, passenger movement, and river cruise tourism with participation from States and Union Territories.

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