The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, FEBRUARY 17, 2022
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) plans for developing Inland Waterways as a credible and viable means of transport. The target is to achieve 200 million tonnes per annum through this mode and achieving at least 5 percent of the total traffic volume of the country,” said Jayant Singh, Vice Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India.
Speaking at the ICC Inland Waterways Summit today, Singh said that national waterways are presently used for handling traffic of coal and coke, iron ore, fly ash, steel, limestone and other materials.
He further said that waterways would be more beneficial for state like Odisha because it is economical and eco-friendly, and do not require large scale land acquisition and handholding by the government.
Highlighting the importance of Inland Waterways for the country in general and Odisha in particular, Additional Principal Secretary of Industry Department, Odisha Bhupender Singh Poonia said that the Odisha government is committed to provide all kinds of support for the studies on the possibilities in Inland waterways. The State Government has identified different projects which are very critical to bridge the gap in different modes of transport, he said.
“Logistically waterways are less expensive and more environment-friendly. Contribution of water bodies to the transportation is at 6 percent which very less among developing countries and this ratio is as high as 15 percent in developed countries,” said J B Pany, Chairman, ICC Odisha State Council. “To move forward, this sector needs government supports. In order to reduce the cost and time of freight delivery, more focus is needed for Inland waterways,” he suggested.
