In December 2024, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), launched the ‘Jalvahak‘ scheme to induce the cargo movement via inland waterways.
- He also flagged off Cargo ships “MV Aai, MV Homi Bhaba along with MV Trishul with 2 dumb barges Ajay and Dikhu” from the GR Jetty in Kolkata,West Bengal (WB).This marks the commencement of a fixed scheduled service of cargo vessel ships from Haldia,WB for national waterways 1 and 2 (NW-1 and NW-2).
Note: India has set a target of 200 million Metric Ton(MT) of cargo movement via waterways by 2030.
Event Dignitaries:
The event was attended by Union Minister of State(MoS) for MoPSW, Shantanu Thakur and MoS for Transportation (Independent Charge); Daya Shankar Singh, Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP);TK Ramachandran, Secretary, MoPSW; Vijay Kumar,Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI); Captain BK Tyagi, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), SCIL; Rathendra Raman, Chairman, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Port of Kolkata).
About Jalvahak‘ scheme:
i.The ‘Jalvahak’ scheme aims to revitalize India’s inland waterways, reduce transport congestion and make cargo movement more efficient. The scheme operates across 3 national waterways:
- National Waterway 1 (NW1): Ganga River
- National Waterway 2 (NW2): Brahmaputra River
- National Waterway 16 (NW16): Barak River
ii.The scheduled services of cargo vessels will run between Kolkata-Patna-Varanasi-Patna-Kolkata and between Kolkata & Pandu in Guwahati utilizing the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR).
iii.Initially, this scheme will be valid for a period of 3 years. This scheme is projected to facilitate a modal shift of 800 MT-kilometres(km) with an estimated investment of Rs 95.4 crore by 2027.
iv.This scheme is jointly implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Inland & Coastal Shipping Limited (ICSL), a subsidiary of the Shipping Corporation of India Limited (SCIL).
Objectives:
i.Promote cargo movement through waterways, which offers a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to road and rail transport.
ii.Reduce logistics costs for businesses and trade by providing financial incentives.
iii.Demonstrate the readiness of national waterways for regular cargo transportation with fixed delivery timelines.
Key Features :
i.Financial Incentives: The scheme offers up to 35% reimbursement of operating expenses for transporting cargo over 300 kilometers (kms) on NW1, NW2, and NW16.
ii.Scheduled Cargo Services: Fixed-day sailing services will be available between Kolkata, Patna, Varanasi, and Pandu ensuring timely and efficient transportation of goods.
iii.Target Beneficiaries: The scheme is aimed at major shipping companies, freight forwarders, trade associations, and bulk cargo handlers.
About Newly launched Cargo Ships:
i.MV Trishul with two dumb barges Ajay and Dikhu: Transports 1,500 tonnes of cement from GR Jetty in Kolkata to Pandu, Guwahati(Assam) via the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR).
ii.MV Aai: Carries 1,000 tonnes of gypsum to Patna, Bihar
iii.MV Homi Bhaba: Transports 200 tonnes of coal to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh(UP).
About Fixed Day Scheduled Sailing Service:
i.It is operated by Inland & Coastal Shipping Limited. On the NW 1 stretch between Kolkata and Varanasi via Patna, the transit time is fixed at 7 days for Kolkata to Patna stretch, 5 days for Patna to Varanasi and 14 days for Kolkata to Varanasi stretch.
ii.Similarly, for the cargo transit on NW2 via IBPR, the Kolkata to Pandu stretch is fixed at 18 days while Pandu to Kolkata is fixed at 15 days.
