NRT&NS aims to promote safety and smooth operation of inland vessels.
- It has been launched at the 2nd meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC)
- IWDC (set up in 2023) is an apex meeting platform for policy deliberation for promotion & propagation of inland waterways in India.
Other Developments
- Setting up Nine Regional Centres of Excellence (RCoE) to train and innovate in the IW Transport sector.
- Mooted idea of launching Riverine Community Development Scheme to improve socio-economic well-being of communities through infrastructure, trade, tourism, and skill development.
Inland Waterways in India
- Status: 111 waterways have been declared as National Waterways (NWs) under the National Waterways Act, 2016.
- Important NWs: NW-1 (Haldia – Prayagraj on Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System), NW-2 (Dhubri – Sadiya on River Brahmaputra), etc.
- Institutional Structure: Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) established through IWAI Act, 1985 is responsible for the regulation and development of NW.
- Potential: India has around 14,500 km of navigable waterways, including rivers, canals, backwaters, and creeks
Significance of NW
- Infrastructure Efficiency: E.g. Avoid land acquisition issues,
- Facilitating International Trade: E.g. Indo-Bangladesh protocol boosts trade by using NW-1 and NW-2
- Other: Environmental Benefits (fuel-efficient), Regional and Coastal Development (E.g. North east India) etc.
Key Challenges
- Excessive upstream withdrawal/utilization of water resulting in meandering and braiding of alluvial rivers, Extensive dredging needed due to high siltation, etc.
