Rs 60,000 Cr for River Cruise Tourism by 2047: Sonowal

Kolkata, Jan 8 (PTI) Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday said the government would invest Rs 60,000 crore by 2047 in river cruise tourism and development of green vessels.

"We are going to invest Rs 45,000 crore in river cruise, which will take the passenger capacity from 2 lakh to 15 lakh by 2047," he said on the sidelines of the first Inland Waterways Development Council meeting here.

The ports, shipping and waterways minister also said the government aims at investing another Rs 15,000 crore in green transport over the next 10 years to develop 1,000 vessels and ferries.

"In total, there will be a Rs 60,000-crore investment by 2047, and it will be through the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The projects will help generate thousands of jobs," he said.

Of the Rs 45,000 crore investment in cruise tourism, an estimated Rs 35,000 crore has been earmarked for cruise vessels while Rs 10,000 crore will be used for development of cruise terminal infrastructure.

The council meeting, represented by officials of around 20 states and Union territories, also saw the unveiling of ‘Harit Nauka' – guidelines for green transition of inland vessels and the River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047.

The day-long meeting, held on a cruise vessel, was conducted by Sonowal to streamline and advance the development of waterways involving 20 states and central government agencies.

The sessions covered topics such as fairway development, private sector engagement and best practices, optimising cargo transport efficiency in Inland Water Transport (IWT), fostering the promotion and development of eco-friendly vessels for passenger transportation, exploring the economic advantages of river cruise tourism, among others.

The union minister shed light on the development works and achievements of the Narendra Modi government in the last nine years, focusing on the port and inland waterways sectors.

He drew particular attention to the remarkable turnaround of Kolkata Port, now known as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.

Once a loss-making entity of around Rs 70 crore, it has now posted a net profit of Rs 550 crore in FY2022-23, Sonowal said.

"This exemplifies the government's commitment and the effectiveness of its measures," he said.

Sonowal also emphasised the tremendous boost given to the inland waterways sector, with government investments totalling Rs 5,200 crore since 2014, a 200 per cent increase in nine years.

He highlighted the impressive growth in cargo handling on National Waterways, which surged from 6.83 million tonnes in 2013-14 to a staggering 126.15 million tonnes in 2022-23, marking a 1700 per cent increase.

Sonowal lauded these achievements as evidence of India's dedication to developing and modernising its port infrastructure, enhancing trade and fueling economic growth of the country and West Bengal which is going to be the hub of inland waterways activity.

Meanwhile, IWAI chairman Sanjay Bandopadhyaya said the meeting was attended by the West Bengal transport Secretary and they have sought some assistance for river dredging to improve navigability.

"We will assist in dredging and building approximately 20 community jetties, which will be handed over to the state for use of goods and passenger traffic," the official added.