NEW DELHI: Inland Waterways will be a revolution and will bring down the logistics cost immensely, Union Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development Minister Nitin Gadkari said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Moving the Central Road Fund(Amendment) Bill, 2017 for consideration and passing in the House, Mr Gadkari said the Government has given priority to Inland Waterways.
He said no extra money has been taken and the Bill amends the Central Road Fund Act, 2000 to allocate 2.5 per cent of the proceeds of Central Road Fund (CRF) for development and maintenance of National Waterways (NWs) and a reduction in the share provided for development of National Highways.
The Bill allocates 2.5 per cent of the cess towards the development and maintenance of national waterways. Advocating the waterways, Mr Gadkari said cost logistics will be reduced immensely. A total 10 out of 111 waterways projects will be completed by the end of this year, he assured. Asking for support from all the parties, he said all the ports will be connected.
Initiating the discussion on the Bill, BJP member Rajiv Pratap Rudy while supporting the Bill, said the thought process for the Golden Quadrangle started during Atal Behari Vajpayee’s regime and in continuation to series, ”We are expanding through waterways, adding that it will boost the tourism sector in the country.”
He said during British era they had ignored Inland waterways.
Mr Rudy said Inland waterways will reduce transportation cost. He said, ”10 billion dollar loss which occurred every year due to floods in Kosi, Gandak and Ganga rivers, will be saved now. After the implementation of this scheme, vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come true.”
AITC member Saugata Roy while supporting the Bill, said Mr Gadkari has now become ”merchant of dreams” as no new projects are visible like Bharatmala, Sagarmala.
He said Mr Gadkari should bring a white paper in the House and tell how much works have been actually done. BJD member Rabindra Kumar Jena also supported the Bill. (AGENCIES)
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