Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal said on Tuesday said that the holistic and optimal development of the waterways ecosystem can help in building robust business relations with the neighbouring nations. 
Addressing the Waterways Conclave here on the second day of the two-day event, the Union Minister urged industries to proactively partner with the government in the waterways sector and contribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
“Within a radius of 2000 kilometres, we have several big cities with a combined population of 800 million. Waterways could provide the greatest opportunities for our young entrepreneurs”, Sonowal said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state is implementing a Rs 770 crore Assam Inland Water Transport project to provide safe and convenient ferry services to passengers.
The Brahmaputra basin possesses nearly 30 per cent of India’s water resource potential and cargo movement through waterways would significantly reduce dependence on cargo transportation for roadways, Sarma said,
‘“Regular movement of cargo through waterways would create job opportunities and open the international market for local products through
cost-effective transport”, he said.
Union Minister of Development for North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy,, in his virtual address, said that waterways would be significantly helpful in realising the potential of abundant natural resources in the northeast.
Union Minister of Communications, Electronics and Information Technology and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said that an attempt must be made to achieve as high a share of the waterways sector as possible in the logistics mix, comprising rail, road, and waterways in the country.
“One litre of fuel will transport one tonne of freight, 24 kilometres by road, 95 kilometres by rail, and an impressive 215 kilometres by waterways”, the minister said.
Highlighting the potential of the waterways ecosystem in Bangladesh, its State Minister of Shipping, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury Government of Bangladesh, said, “there are 700 rivers in Bangladesh, out of which 54 are on the boundary between Bangladesh and India”.
Chowdhury, in his virtual address said that about 8480 kilometres of the navigable waterway of Bangladesh could be utilised for transportation and
distribution of goods between Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Bhutan’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Lyonpo Loknath Sharma said that the trade between Bhutan and India was increasing and invited the stakeholders to work towards enhancing the link between Assam and East Bhutan, which has a vast potential in terms of economy of scale.
Highlighting the immense potential of the waterways ecosystem for the North-east region, Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India,Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, said, “we are not only trying to connect with the neighbouring countries, but also with all the states of this region and extending to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and
Odisha.”
Referring to the numerous milestones achieved in the waterways sector Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sanjeev Ranjan said that a record movement of 4.5 million metric tonnes under the Bangladesh India Protocol Route had been achieved.
