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Guwahati, Jun 13: Efforts are on to have a dedicated waterway from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Haldia port for cheap transportation of goods, said Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal.
In an interview with The Assam Tribune, he also asserted that India would become a lead- ing global maritime player in the days to come.
Excerpts from the interview: Assam Tribune. As you have retained the Ports, Shipping and Waterways portfolio in the third term of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, what are the major plans in the offing?
Sonowal: I thank the Prime Minister for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation and I believe that India is going to be a major maritime player in the days to come. Two new major ports are coming up - one on the eastern side of the country on the Bay of Bengal and the other in the Arabian Sea in the western side of the country. We have already taken up a port in Iran, while India is using three ports in Bangladesh. New sea routes have been opened and efforts are on to open more such routes.
AT: Development of waterways is vital for economic development of any country, isn't it?
Sonowal: Yes, that is true. Waterways are the biggest transporter of India's foreign trade. We carry 96 percent of India's exports and imports in terms of volume and 70 per cent in terms of value. As the Prime Minister is commit- ted to make India the third largest economy of the world in the next five years, waterways would have to play a crucial role.
AT: Was the global maritime summit held in Mumbai just before the elections a success?
Sonowal: Absolutely. We got investment proposals to the tune of Rs 10 lakh crore and it is now our responsibility to ensure that the proposals are implemented on the ground within a stipulated time frame.
AT: Does your ministry have anything in the pipeline for the Northeast?
Sonowal: Yes. There are a number of schemes that are now being implemented... we will try our best to implement these schemes on time.
We are in the process of holding talks with the minis- tries concerned so that car- go of the Food Corporation of India, fertilizers, petroleum products, etc., are transported through the waterways. This will not only save time but also ensure cheaper transportation.
AT: But the problem is that river Brahmaputra dries up during the lean season. Will it be possible to ensure free movement of cargo ships dur- ing the lean season?
Sonowal: Yes, we understand that it can create a problem. The Dredging Corporation of India did some dredging on the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers. Now, we have floated global tenders for dredging of the Brahmaputra to ensure that shipping channels remain open throughout the year. Our aim is to have a dedicated shipping channel from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Haldia.
AT: Does the Bangladesh portion of the Brahmaputra (called Jamuna in Bangladesh) have enough depth to ensure free movement of cargo vessels?
Sonowal: Yes. There was a challenge in around a 200- km stretch of the river in Bangladesh. India helped the neighbouring country to dredge that portion of the river and now, there is no problem in Jamuna.
By
R Dutta Choudhury