While speaking at a CII event, Shipping Secretary PK Sinha informed that his ministry was exploring several ways to raise the share of inland waterways, create right policy and fiscal environment.
He stressed on the need to increase the share of inland waterways and ensure seamless connectivity. He said the government is in the process of identifying critical gaps in transport sector such as roads, railways etc and work on them.
The shipping ministry aims to award 42 port projects in the current financial year and has so far been able to award 22. He said the ministry is hopeful of achieving the target.
In order to develop inland water transport in the country, a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture suggested Rs 10,500 crore investment during the 12th five year plan ending 2016-2017. The committee said that the government should fund these projects as the private investment cannot replace state funds.
The committee is opposed to the Planning CommissionÂ’s view of setting up these projects as per the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model.
Of the five national waterways in the country, only three are operational and the remaining two are yet to be started. This is despite the fact that India has 14,500 kilometer (km) navigable inland waterways.
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