Bharatmala/ Sagarmala and Inland Waterways Infrastructure Projects
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Bangladesh to allow transhipment of Indian goods from January sans custom duties, transit fees
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury
Dec 19, 2019, 12.58 PM IST
The decision, considered a new phase in connectivity between the two countries, was agreed upon when Bangladesh shipping secretary Md. Abdus Samad met his Indian counterpart Gopal Krishna at the shipping secretary-level talks in Dhaka last week.
Bangladesh expects that such connectivity between the countries will open up greater economic opportunities, strengthen infrastructure and boost business, according to Dhaka-based officials.
New Delhi: Bangladesh, notwithstanding its decision to cancel visits by foreign and home ministers to India last week in the aftermath of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill controversy, will allow transhipment of Indian goods via Chittagong and Mongla sea ports from January without charging customs duties and transit fees.
The decision, considered a new phase in connectivity between the two countries, was agreed upon when Bangladesh shipping secretary Md. Abdus Samad met his Indian counterpart Gopal Krishna at the shipping secretary-level talks in Dhaka last week, officials told ET.
Earlier, the Standard Operating Procedures to allow transhipment of Indian goods to and fro from landlocked north-eastern states was agreed upon during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Delhi in October. The move will give further push to India's Act East policy by connecting north-eastern states with SE Asia.
Bangladesh expects that such connectivity between the countries will open up greater economic opportunities, strengthen infrastructure and boost business, according to Dhaka-based officials.
“We are yet to decide the date of the first trial run, but it is likely to be in January next year. A container cargo is likely to operate either through Chittagong Port or Mongla Port to the Indian state of Tripura through the Agartala and Akhaura river routes,” said Abdus Samad.
Customs fees are not applicable as it is a bilateral agreement between the two countries. But India will pay duties and taxes as per Bangladesh's tariff schedule for ports. It will also pay fees for using roads in line with the policy of the Bangladesh Road and Highways Division, officials said.
Seven routes have been suggested for the movement of goods and passenger vessels between north-eastern states and two ports. These include Chittagong Port or Mongla Port to Agartala via Akhaura; Chittagong or Mongla port to Dawki via Tamabil; Chittagong or Mongla port to Sutarkandi via Sheola; and Chittagong or Mongla to Bibekbazar via Simantapur.
Meanwhile, passengers travelling on cruise ships to India and Bangladesh will get on-arrival visas at the ports. It may be recalled that operations of cruise ships from Narayanganj (Bangladesh) to Kolkata began on a trial basis in March this year.
Bangladesh to allow transhipment of Indian goods from January sans custom duties, transit fees
By Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury
Dec 19, 2019, 12.58 PM IST
The decision, considered a new phase in connectivity between the two countries, was agreed upon when Bangladesh shipping secretary Md. Abdus Samad met his Indian counterpart Gopal Krishna at the shipping secretary-level talks in Dhaka last week.
Bangladesh expects that such connectivity between the countries will open up greater economic opportunities, strengthen infrastructure and boost business, according to Dhaka-based officials.
New Delhi: Bangladesh, notwithstanding its decision to cancel visits by foreign and home ministers to India last week in the aftermath of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill controversy, will allow transhipment of Indian goods via Chittagong and Mongla sea ports from January without charging customs duties and transit fees.
The decision, considered a new phase in connectivity between the two countries, was agreed upon when Bangladesh shipping secretary Md. Abdus Samad met his Indian counterpart Gopal Krishna at the shipping secretary-level talks in Dhaka last week, officials told ET.
Earlier, the Standard Operating Procedures to allow transhipment of Indian goods to and fro from landlocked north-eastern states was agreed upon during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Delhi in October. The move will give further push to India's Act East policy by connecting north-eastern states with SE Asia.
Bangladesh expects that such connectivity between the countries will open up greater economic opportunities, strengthen infrastructure and boost business, according to Dhaka-based officials.
“We are yet to decide the date of the first trial run, but it is likely to be in January next year. A container cargo is likely to operate either through Chittagong Port or Mongla Port to the Indian state of Tripura through the Agartala and Akhaura river routes,” said Abdus Samad.
Customs fees are not applicable as it is a bilateral agreement between the two countries. But India will pay duties and taxes as per Bangladesh's tariff schedule for ports. It will also pay fees for using roads in line with the policy of the Bangladesh Road and Highways Division, officials said.
Seven routes have been suggested for the movement of goods and passenger vessels between north-eastern states and two ports. These include Chittagong Port or Mongla Port to Agartala via Akhaura; Chittagong or Mongla port to Dawki via Tamabil; Chittagong or Mongla port to Sutarkandi via Sheola; and Chittagong or Mongla to Bibekbazar via Simantapur.
Meanwhile, passengers travelling on cruise ships to India and Bangladesh will get on-arrival visas at the ports. It may be recalled that operations of cruise ships from Narayanganj (Bangladesh) to Kolkata began on a trial basis in March this year.
Bangladesh to allow transhipment of Indian goods from January sans custom duties, transit fees
China, Bangladesh nod to Brahmaputra river project
Assam Inland Water Transport Project is funded by the World Bank
By Roopak Goswami in Guwahati
Published 28.12.19, 2:05 AM
A ferry filled with passengers on the Brahmaputra. Picture by UB Photos
China and Bangladesh have given a no-objection to the Assam Inland Water Transport Project (AIWTP) on the Brahmaputra, funded by the World Bank.
The bank in its project appraisal document says any project on international waterway must have a no-objection certificate from riparian countries. The Brahmaputra is an international waterway.
The Brahmaputra basin covers 580,000 square km across four countries — China (50 per cent), India (34 per cent), Bangladesh (8 per cent) and Bhutan (8 per cent). In India, the catchment area spreads over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim, covering nearly 5.9 per cent of the total geographical area of the country.
The bank says projects on international waterways may affect relations between the bank and its borrowers and between states (whether members of the bank or not) and it recognises that the cooperation and goodwill of riparian countries is essential for the efficient use and protection of the waterway. The bank has cleared the project this month.
The report says the World Bank, on behalf of India, notified the riparian countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, and China — of the project as project activities will take place on the Brahmaputra and possibly also on the Barak river, which are international waterways with implications for Bangladesh, Bhutan and China, in addition to India.
“The World Bank, on behalf of India, notified the riparian countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, and China in March this year. China issued its ‘no-objection certificate’ to the project on April 26. The Bangladesh government asked for additional information on May 2, which was responded to on June 13, 2019. Subsequently, another communication dated August 1 was received and responded to on October 25,” the report says.
The bank says all planning and design considerations for proposed infrastructure for the AIWTP have been aimed at fully avoiding (or absolutely minimising), where possible, any potential adverse trans-boundary effects (which could have had impacts such as reduction and/or modification of flow of water or sediments and increased water pollution). The avoidance of any obstruction to or modification of flow, the designs that ensure that there is no pollution of the river, and the limits placed on dredging and disposal of dredged materials mean that there will be no impact on the quality and quantity of flow in the trans-boundary rivers.
“The World Bank has determined that due to the location and nature of project activities, the proposed project will not cause any appreciable harm to the interests of the other riparian countries nor be appreciably harmed by the other riparian countries’ possible use of the Brahmaputra or the Barak rivers,” it adds.
Mirza Rahman, a visiting research associate at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi, says any downstream navigation project, in order to be successful, will have to depend on cooperative and accurate hydrological data provision by China to India, which is already happening since 2002.
“This will ensure insurance against any losses due to extreme flood water events to the navigation infrastructure downstream,” Rahman told The Telegraph.
“India uses the hydrological data provided by China on the Brahmaputra for many aspects, one being ensuring stability to downstream water infrastructure investments, in this case funded by the World Bank,” he said.
At the regional level, cooperation policies between India and Bangladesh envisage a crucial future trade and transport role for inland water transport. Ports have been opened for riverine traffic from Northeast India on the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route.
The bank says two countries have also agreed to seek international financing for development of year-round navigability of the protocol (waterway) routes, as envisaged in the Bilateral Framework Agreement on Trade and Transit.
China, Bangladesh nod to Brahmaputra river project
Assam Inland Water Transport Project is funded by the World Bank
By Roopak Goswami in Guwahati
Published 28.12.19, 2:05 AM
A ferry filled with passengers on the Brahmaputra. Picture by UB Photos
China and Bangladesh have given a no-objection to the Assam Inland Water Transport Project (AIWTP) on the Brahmaputra, funded by the World Bank.
The bank in its project appraisal document says any project on international waterway must have a no-objection certificate from riparian countries. The Brahmaputra is an international waterway.
The Brahmaputra basin covers 580,000 square km across four countries — China (50 per cent), India (34 per cent), Bangladesh (8 per cent) and Bhutan (8 per cent). In India, the catchment area spreads over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim, covering nearly 5.9 per cent of the total geographical area of the country.
The bank says projects on international waterways may affect relations between the bank and its borrowers and between states (whether members of the bank or not) and it recognises that the cooperation and goodwill of riparian countries is essential for the efficient use and protection of the waterway. The bank has cleared the project this month.
The report says the World Bank, on behalf of India, notified the riparian countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, and China — of the project as project activities will take place on the Brahmaputra and possibly also on the Barak river, which are international waterways with implications for Bangladesh, Bhutan and China, in addition to India.
“The World Bank, on behalf of India, notified the riparian countries — Bangladesh, Bhutan, and China in March this year. China issued its ‘no-objection certificate’ to the project on April 26. The Bangladesh government asked for additional information on May 2, which was responded to on June 13, 2019. Subsequently, another communication dated August 1 was received and responded to on October 25,” the report says.
The bank says all planning and design considerations for proposed infrastructure for the AIWTP have been aimed at fully avoiding (or absolutely minimising), where possible, any potential adverse trans-boundary effects (which could have had impacts such as reduction and/or modification of flow of water or sediments and increased water pollution). The avoidance of any obstruction to or modification of flow, the designs that ensure that there is no pollution of the river, and the limits placed on dredging and disposal of dredged materials mean that there will be no impact on the quality and quantity of flow in the trans-boundary rivers.
“The World Bank has determined that due to the location and nature of project activities, the proposed project will not cause any appreciable harm to the interests of the other riparian countries nor be appreciably harmed by the other riparian countries’ possible use of the Brahmaputra or the Barak rivers,” it adds.
Mirza Rahman, a visiting research associate at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi, says any downstream navigation project, in order to be successful, will have to depend on cooperative and accurate hydrological data provision by China to India, which is already happening since 2002.
“This will ensure insurance against any losses due to extreme flood water events to the navigation infrastructure downstream,” Rahman told The Telegraph.
“India uses the hydrological data provided by China on the Brahmaputra for many aspects, one being ensuring stability to downstream water infrastructure investments, in this case funded by the World Bank,” he said.
At the regional level, cooperation policies between India and Bangladesh envisage a crucial future trade and transport role for inland water transport. Ports have been opened for riverine traffic from Northeast India on the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route.
The bank says two countries have also agreed to seek international financing for development of year-round navigability of the protocol (waterway) routes, as envisaged in the Bilateral Framework Agreement on Trade and Transit.
China, Bangladesh nod to Brahmaputra river project
The significance of the Kolkata port, renamed by PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 12) renamed the Kolkata Port Trust after Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, at an event to mark its 150th anniversary.
While addressing the gathering at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, Modi said, “The country has benefitted from inland waterways. Haldia and Benaras have been connected through the same. The development of waterways has improved Kolkata Port Trust’s connectivity with industrial centres in east India, made trade easier for our neighbouring countries, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal.”
History of Kolkata’s port
In the early 16th century, the Portuguese first used the present location of the port to anchor their ships, since they found the upper reaches of the Hooghly river, beyond Kolkata, unsafe for navigation.
Job Charnock, an employee and administrator of the East India Company, is believed to have founded a trading post at the site in 1690. Since the area was situated on the river with jungle on three sides, it was considered safe from enemy invasion.
After the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1833, this port was used to ship lakhs of Indians as ‘indentured labourers’ to far-flung territories throughout the Empire.
As Kolkata grew in size and importance, merchants in the city demanded the setting up of a port trust in 1863. The colonial government formed a River Trust in 1866, but it soon failed, and administration was again taken up by the government.
Finally, in 1870, the Calcutta Port Act (Act V of 1870) was passed, creating the offices of Calcutta Port Commissioners.
In 1869 and 1870, eight jetties were built on the Strand. A wet dock was set up at Khidirpur in 1892. The Khidirpur Dock II was completed in 1902.
As cargo traffic at the port grew, so did the requirement of more kerosene, leading to the building of a petroleum wharf at Budge Budge in 1896.
In 1925, the Garden Reach jetty was added to accommodate greater cargo traffic. A new dock, named King George’s Dock, was commissioned in 1928 (it was renamed Netaji Subhash Dock in 1973).
During World War II, the port was bombed by Japanese forces.
After Independence, the Kolkata Port lost its preeminent position in cargo traffic to ports at Mumbai, Kandla, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam. In 1975, the Commissioners of the port ceased to control it after the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, came into force.
Natural challenges facing Kolkata harbour
The Kolkata port is the only riverine port in the country, situated 203 km from the sea. The river Hooghly, on which it is located, has many sharp bends, and is considered a difficult navigational channel. Throughout the year, dredging activities have to be carried out to keep the channel open.
The Farakka Barrage, built in 1975, reduced some of the port’s woes as Ganga waters were diverted into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly system.
Explained: The significance of the Kolkata port, renamed by PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (January 12) renamed the Kolkata Port Trust after Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, at an event to mark its 150th anniversary.
While addressing the gathering at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, Modi said, “The country has benefitted from inland waterways. Haldia and Benaras have been connected through the same. The development of waterways has improved Kolkata Port Trust’s connectivity with industrial centres in east India, made trade easier for our neighbouring countries, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal.”
History of Kolkata’s port
In the early 16th century, the Portuguese first used the present location of the port to anchor their ships, since they found the upper reaches of the Hooghly river, beyond Kolkata, unsafe for navigation.
Job Charnock, an employee and administrator of the East India Company, is believed to have founded a trading post at the site in 1690. Since the area was situated on the river with jungle on three sides, it was considered safe from enemy invasion.
After the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in 1833, this port was used to ship lakhs of Indians as ‘indentured labourers’ to far-flung territories throughout the Empire.
As Kolkata grew in size and importance, merchants in the city demanded the setting up of a port trust in 1863. The colonial government formed a River Trust in 1866, but it soon failed, and administration was again taken up by the government.
Finally, in 1870, the Calcutta Port Act (Act V of 1870) was passed, creating the offices of Calcutta Port Commissioners.
In 1869 and 1870, eight jetties were built on the Strand. A wet dock was set up at Khidirpur in 1892. The Khidirpur Dock II was completed in 1902.
As cargo traffic at the port grew, so did the requirement of more kerosene, leading to the building of a petroleum wharf at Budge Budge in 1896.
In 1925, the Garden Reach jetty was added to accommodate greater cargo traffic. A new dock, named King George’s Dock, was commissioned in 1928 (it was renamed Netaji Subhash Dock in 1973).
During World War II, the port was bombed by Japanese forces.
After Independence, the Kolkata Port lost its preeminent position in cargo traffic to ports at Mumbai, Kandla, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam. In 1975, the Commissioners of the port ceased to control it after the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, came into force.
Natural challenges facing Kolkata harbour
The Kolkata port is the only riverine port in the country, situated 203 km from the sea. The river Hooghly, on which it is located, has many sharp bends, and is considered a difficult navigational channel. Throughout the year, dredging activities have to be carried out to keep the channel open.
The Farakka Barrage, built in 1975, reduced some of the port’s woes as Ganga waters were diverted into the Bhagirathi-Hooghly system.
Explained: The significance of the Kolkata port, renamed by PM Modi
Reviving a Waterway Creates a New Freight Market for India
Despite technological advances of air, rail, and road transport to move bulk goods and large numbers of people, inland waterways continue to play an important role in improving domestic connectivity and lowering logistics costs. The World Bank estimates that in India, for example, it costs 1 cent per kilometer to carry a ton of freight by waterway, compared to 2 cents by rail and 3 cents by road. Often, the cost of shipping by an inland waterway in India can be even less—as little as one-seventh of the ground shipping cost.
Affordability is not the only advantage of inland waterway transport. Although ground transport wins at speed, waterways move up to four times as much cargo per one liter of fuel, making trade cost-effective. In addition, less energy consumption, low noise, and reduced carbon footprint turn waterway transport into a greener and more reliable way of moving freight.
But in countries that lack enabling frameworks and face fiscal constraints, waterway infrastructure can be slow to develop or modernize. In India, decades of under-investment in waterways across the country made most shipping channels, canals, and logistics infrastructure unusable. As a result, waterway transport makes up only 0.5 percent of the total freight traffic. Congested road and railway networks slowed the movement of cargo, driving up the logistics costs that now account for 18 percent of the country’s GDP.
One of India’s major waterways is the 1,620-km Ganga watercourse, known as the National Waterway 1 (NW1). To revive it to 1,500-ton vessel cargo from the eastern seaport of Haldia to Allahabad, and to shift cargo from costly road and rail to the river, the government of India launched the Jal Marg Vikas (JMV) program in 2014. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the lead agency for the JMV program, asked IFC to help pilot a public-private partnership (PPP) model for the development of Kolkata and Patna terminal facilities along the Haldia-Allahabad Corridor.
Results of the PPP will revive water arteries to help create a new market for inland waterway logistics, improve regional integration, promote economic growth in the region, and enhance logistics competitiveness—unlocking opportunities for private investment in the new sector. This PPP program is being implemented in partnership with DevCo, a multi-donor facility affiliated with the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), the United Kingdom, and Denmark.
In India, decades of underinvestment made most shipping channels, canals, and logistics infrastructure unusable.
Upstreaming Change
The NW1 passes through one of India’s most densely populated areas that produces 40 percent of the country’s traded goods, connecting four neighboring Gangetic states with other parts of India and major waterways in Bangladesh and Nepal. Because NW1 could carry only 5 million tons of freight out of 370 million generated in the region annually, most cargo from the region detoured around the much-closer port of Kolkata to reach the sea ports in western India.
The lack of infrastructure was not the only challenge in the development of India’s waterway transport sector. Legal bottlenecks and weak trade agreements constrained cross-border flow of cargo between India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, with broader policy gaps on waterway transport restricting commercial operation.
IFC's support included clarifying customs regulations and building the government's capacity to tender future projects.
Transforming the sector wouldn’t be possible without first improving the legal and pricing frameworks for government partnerships with the private sector. Working closely with the World Bank, IFC helped improve the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol and Indo-Nepal Trade Agreement, clarify customs regulations, and resolve security issues and institutional constraints. To help IWAI bring in and scale up private sector involvement in the management and development of river terminals into logistics hubs, IFC helped build its capacity to manage contracts and tender future projects in line with international standards.
For the NW1 project, Bangladesh’s Summit Alliance Limited (SAPL) won the contract to operate and develop the two river terminals under a revenue-sharing agreement yielding almost 40 percent to IWAI. This South-South investment will also encourage economic integration between India and Bangladesh, and create a market for terminal operators, shippers, and cargo owners around the Ganga River.
Once fully operational, the NW1 has the potential to emerge as the leading logistics artery for northern and western India, helping Gangetic states direct more of their freight to Kolkata and Haldia ports, reducing logistics costs significantly, improving freight movement reliability, and fostering cross-border trade.
Six months after its implementation, the PPP helped eliminate 24,000 truck journeys.
Setting Up Waterway Logistics Infrastructure
After SAPL took over the Kolkata facility in late 2018, the cargo turnover reached 563,000 tons in the first nine months of operations, compared to 20,000 tons per year in 2015. The PPP helped eliminate 24,000 truck journeys and reduce heavy vehicle traffic by almost 10 million truck kilometers in the first six months. This modal shift of cargo from road to water helped decongest India’s roads and avoid 26,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. By 2023, SAPL will invest $16.5 million to refurbish and rebuild the facility, likely exceeding the target $25 million over the course of the 30-year contract.
Since the lack of solid legal framework, industry capacity, and investment risk guarantees has been one of the reasons for the slow development of India’s waterway infrastructure, the project has become a model for replication in setting up future terminals across the country. Moving forward, NW1 will form a larger multimodal transport network being planned along the river.
Reviving a Waterway Creates a New Freight Market for India
Despite technological advances of air, rail, and road transport to move bulk goods and large numbers of people, inland waterways continue to play an important role in improving domestic connectivity and lowering logistics costs. The World Bank estimates that in India, for example, it costs 1 cent per kilometer to carry a ton of freight by waterway, compared to 2 cents by rail and 3 cents by road. Often, the cost of shipping by an inland waterway in India can be even less—as little as one-seventh of the ground shipping cost.
Affordability is not the only advantage of inland waterway transport. Although ground transport wins at speed, waterways move up to four times as much cargo per one liter of fuel, making trade cost-effective. In addition, less energy consumption, low noise, and reduced carbon footprint turn waterway transport into a greener and more reliable way of moving freight.
But in countries that lack enabling frameworks and face fiscal constraints, waterway infrastructure can be slow to develop or modernize. In India, decades of under-investment in waterways across the country made most shipping channels, canals, and logistics infrastructure unusable. As a result, waterway transport makes up only 0.5 percent of the total freight traffic. Congested road and railway networks slowed the movement of cargo, driving up the logistics costs that now account for 18 percent of the country’s GDP.
One of India’s major waterways is the 1,620-km Ganga watercourse, known as the National Waterway 1 (NW1). To revive it to 1,500-ton vessel cargo from the eastern seaport of Haldia to Allahabad, and to shift cargo from costly road and rail to the river, the government of India launched the Jal Marg Vikas (JMV) program in 2014. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the lead agency for the JMV program, asked IFC to help pilot a public-private partnership (PPP) model for the development of Kolkata and Patna terminal facilities along the Haldia-Allahabad Corridor.
Results of the PPP will revive water arteries to help create a new market for inland waterway logistics, improve regional integration, promote economic growth in the region, and enhance logistics competitiveness—unlocking opportunities for private investment in the new sector. This PPP program is being implemented in partnership with DevCo, a multi-donor facility affiliated with the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), the United Kingdom, and Denmark.
In India, decades of underinvestment made most shipping channels, canals, and logistics infrastructure unusable.
Upstreaming Change
The NW1 passes through one of India’s most densely populated areas that produces 40 percent of the country’s traded goods, connecting four neighboring Gangetic states with other parts of India and major waterways in Bangladesh and Nepal. Because NW1 could carry only 5 million tons of freight out of 370 million generated in the region annually, most cargo from the region detoured around the much-closer port of Kolkata to reach the sea ports in western India.
The lack of infrastructure was not the only challenge in the development of India’s waterway transport sector. Legal bottlenecks and weak trade agreements constrained cross-border flow of cargo between India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, with broader policy gaps on waterway transport restricting commercial operation.
IFC's support included clarifying customs regulations and building the government's capacity to tender future projects.
Transforming the sector wouldn’t be possible without first improving the legal and pricing frameworks for government partnerships with the private sector. Working closely with the World Bank, IFC helped improve the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol and Indo-Nepal Trade Agreement, clarify customs regulations, and resolve security issues and institutional constraints. To help IWAI bring in and scale up private sector involvement in the management and development of river terminals into logistics hubs, IFC helped build its capacity to manage contracts and tender future projects in line with international standards.
For the NW1 project, Bangladesh’s Summit Alliance Limited (SAPL) won the contract to operate and develop the two river terminals under a revenue-sharing agreement yielding almost 40 percent to IWAI. This South-South investment will also encourage economic integration between India and Bangladesh, and create a market for terminal operators, shippers, and cargo owners around the Ganga River.
Once fully operational, the NW1 has the potential to emerge as the leading logistics artery for northern and western India, helping Gangetic states direct more of their freight to Kolkata and Haldia ports, reducing logistics costs significantly, improving freight movement reliability, and fostering cross-border trade.
Six months after its implementation, the PPP helped eliminate 24,000 truck journeys.
Setting Up Waterway Logistics Infrastructure
After SAPL took over the Kolkata facility in late 2018, the cargo turnover reached 563,000 tons in the first nine months of operations, compared to 20,000 tons per year in 2015. The PPP helped eliminate 24,000 truck journeys and reduce heavy vehicle traffic by almost 10 million truck kilometers in the first six months. This modal shift of cargo from road to water helped decongest India’s roads and avoid 26,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. By 2023, SAPL will invest $16.5 million to refurbish and rebuild the facility, likely exceeding the target $25 million over the course of the 30-year contract.
Since the lack of solid legal framework, industry capacity, and investment risk guarantees has been one of the reasons for the slow development of India’s waterway infrastructure, the project has become a model for replication in setting up future terminals across the country. Moving forward, NW1 will form a larger multimodal transport network being planned along the river.
Reviving a Waterway Creates a New Freight Market for India
From water to aggregate supplies, 'Jal Kranti' in drought-prone Vidarbha villages
PTI | Last Updated: Mar 01, 2020, 04.30 PM IST
BULDHANA (Maharashtra): "Earlier, it was difficult to find brides given the water scarcity in the villages... now, the situation has changed," says a villager in remote Buldhana district of drought-prone Vidarbha region in Maharashtra.
Not just about adequate water supplies, similar happy notes resonate among the villagers when it comes to good crops and rising cattle numbers.
A brain child of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, 'Jal Kranti' initiative has also made the villages supply aggregates for highway construction.
Farmer suicides are a thing of the past and no more dependence on water tankers for drinking water needs, according to the villagers.
Rather, multiple crop pattern and multiplying cattle population, which was on the decline some time ago, and even, fisheries are providing livelihood opportunities, they said.
In the words of Gadkari, it is not only about water supplies but also vehicles on roads in the area that is a reflection of better economic prospects.
"Wherever work was taken up, wells have been recharged... earlier, there was no scooter, no motorcycle in the area. Now, it has 18 two-wheelers, 4 four-wheelers, 24-hour water supplies, cultivation... changing Wardha's economy," he said.
'Jal Kranti', now being implemented in 283 villages, is credited for changing the economy of these villages by rejuvenating water bodies and simultaneously supplying aggregates for highway network.
Generally, aggregate is earthwork or soil needed to construct highways.
Under the project, aggregates and soil are excavated from dried up water bodies like ponds and wells, free of cost. They are then used in lieu of soil for highway projects in areas like Buldhana where average rainfall remains scanty.
Areas like Buldhana barely receive 700 to 800 mm of rainfall, lesser than for entire Vidarbha region, which accounted for maximum of 2,239 suicides by farmers out of the 5,763 across the country in 2018.
"A total of 34 of the 61 percolation tanks in Buldhana alone have been excavated by NHAI while the rest has been done by Maharashtra government PWD department," a senor NHAI official said.
A percolation tank is an artificial reservoir that taps surface water run-off and allow it to percolate within the permeable land.
It is seen as an effective method for ground water recharge.
Around a percolation tank at Sindi Harali, there was multiple crops, including wheat, sugarcane and barley.
"We could hardly reap soybean crop... it depended on scanty rainfall. For drinking water, we were dependent on tankers... Now, things have changed. We are yielding two crops. Our wells have been recharged. The pond is full," 75-year-old Sripad Jadav of Shelud said.
Bhikaji Jadav said the pond is full even though it is Febraury whereas tankers used to arrive in the villages starting in January. A total of about 20,000 villagers are depended on the tank in Chikhali Taluka.
Madhao Kotasthane said villagers are now buying sprinklers, which costs Rs 40,000.
60-year-old Bimalbai Sukhdeov pointed towards her field and said, "prosperity has reached our village. See the crops."
Under the Buldhana project, so far 12 national highway projects totalling 491 kilometres have been constructed.
"Around 52.10 lakh cubic meter material has been extracted from rivers, ponds and small irrigation projects thereby creating 5,510 thousand cubic metre (TCM) storage capacity in the district.
"This has benefited about 5 lakh population. As many as 22,800 wells were recharged due to it and 81 water supply schemes were benefitted. It also resulted in an increase of about 1,525 hectares area through recharged wells" Balasaheb Theng, former Chief Engineer, PWD Nagpur, said.
At another recharged tank Lanjud, villagers, mostly belonging to Shetkari community, said the tank has changed the lives of people in 12 villages -- Chilhali Kd, Chilhali Bk, Lanjud, Saujatpur, Amboda, Amsari, Sutala Bk, Pahujira, Morgaon, Parkhed, Pimpri, Ghatouri and Wadi.
Ramdas Madhav, 62, said the villagers mostly depended here on cattle breeding for livelihood and the livestock was about 2 lakh and growing.
"Earlier, scores of cattle had died in want of water", he said.
Sagar Nanaware, project manager of infrastructure firm Iron Triangle that executed excavation work on behalf of NHAI, said that about one lakh truckloads of earthwork were excavated from the Lanjud tank.
An NHAI official said the aggregates were used for building the new NH 53 (earlier NH 6) in six months.
Another villager said that pisciculture (fish farming) has been undertaken in the pond with monthly yield of about a tonne, bringing employment to many.
At Hiwarkhed where a tank was rejuvenated, Ashok K Hatkar, a local farmer, said it has benefitted at least 10 villages.
A total of 60 such projects have been completed in entire Maharashtra.
"Buldhana was one of the 4-5 districts in Maharashtra which faced farmer suicides. Water level had gone 400 metres down. Wherever work was taken up wells have been recharged, pumps which worked for one hour have been working for 12 hours," Gadkari said.
"At Wardha, Akola, a river was rejuvenated... nine check dams were built there... earlier, there was no scooter no motorcycle in the area. Now it has 18 two-wheelers, 4 four-wheelers, 24 hours water, cultivation ... changing its economy," he noted.
According to him, the work undertaken by the NHAI has resulted in Rs 900 crore worth of work in the area of water conservation.
Excavation or dredging ensure rain water harvesting and also helps in recharging of ground water.
Besides, large scale desilting was done to remove deposits in tanks river etc which obstruct absorption of water.
From water to aggregate supplies, 'Jal Kranti' in drought-prone Vidarbha villages
PTI | Last Updated: Mar 01, 2020, 04.30 PM IST
BULDHANA (Maharashtra): "Earlier, it was difficult to find brides given the water scarcity in the villages... now, the situation has changed," says a villager in remote Buldhana district of drought-prone Vidarbha region in Maharashtra.
Not just about adequate water supplies, similar happy notes resonate among the villagers when it comes to good crops and rising cattle numbers.
A brain child of Union minister Nitin Gadkari, 'Jal Kranti' initiative has also made the villages supply aggregates for highway construction.
Farmer suicides are a thing of the past and no more dependence on water tankers for drinking water needs, according to the villagers.
Rather, multiple crop pattern and multiplying cattle population, which was on the decline some time ago, and even, fisheries are providing livelihood opportunities, they said.
In the words of Gadkari, it is not only about water supplies but also vehicles on roads in the area that is a reflection of better economic prospects.
"Wherever work was taken up, wells have been recharged... earlier, there was no scooter, no motorcycle in the area. Now, it has 18 two-wheelers, 4 four-wheelers, 24-hour water supplies, cultivation... changing Wardha's economy," he said.
'Jal Kranti', now being implemented in 283 villages, is credited for changing the economy of these villages by rejuvenating water bodies and simultaneously supplying aggregates for highway network.
Generally, aggregate is earthwork or soil needed to construct highways.
Under the project, aggregates and soil are excavated from dried up water bodies like ponds and wells, free of cost. They are then used in lieu of soil for highway projects in areas like Buldhana where average rainfall remains scanty.
Areas like Buldhana barely receive 700 to 800 mm of rainfall, lesser than for entire Vidarbha region, which accounted for maximum of 2,239 suicides by farmers out of the 5,763 across the country in 2018.
"A total of 34 of the 61 percolation tanks in Buldhana alone have been excavated by NHAI while the rest has been done by Maharashtra government PWD department," a senor NHAI official said.
A percolation tank is an artificial reservoir that taps surface water run-off and allow it to percolate within the permeable land.
It is seen as an effective method for ground water recharge.
Around a percolation tank at Sindi Harali, there was multiple crops, including wheat, sugarcane and barley.
"We could hardly reap soybean crop... it depended on scanty rainfall. For drinking water, we were dependent on tankers... Now, things have changed. We are yielding two crops. Our wells have been recharged. The pond is full," 75-year-old Sripad Jadav of Shelud said.
Bhikaji Jadav said the pond is full even though it is Febraury whereas tankers used to arrive in the villages starting in January. A total of about 20,000 villagers are depended on the tank in Chikhali Taluka.
Madhao Kotasthane said villagers are now buying sprinklers, which costs Rs 40,000.
60-year-old Bimalbai Sukhdeov pointed towards her field and said, "prosperity has reached our village. See the crops."
Under the Buldhana project, so far 12 national highway projects totalling 491 kilometres have been constructed.
"Around 52.10 lakh cubic meter material has been extracted from rivers, ponds and small irrigation projects thereby creating 5,510 thousand cubic metre (TCM) storage capacity in the district.
"This has benefited about 5 lakh population. As many as 22,800 wells were recharged due to it and 81 water supply schemes were benefitted. It also resulted in an increase of about 1,525 hectares area through recharged wells" Balasaheb Theng, former Chief Engineer, PWD Nagpur, said.
At another recharged tank Lanjud, villagers, mostly belonging to Shetkari community, said the tank has changed the lives of people in 12 villages -- Chilhali Kd, Chilhali Bk, Lanjud, Saujatpur, Amboda, Amsari, Sutala Bk, Pahujira, Morgaon, Parkhed, Pimpri, Ghatouri and Wadi.
Ramdas Madhav, 62, said the villagers mostly depended here on cattle breeding for livelihood and the livestock was about 2 lakh and growing.
"Earlier, scores of cattle had died in want of water", he said.
Sagar Nanaware, project manager of infrastructure firm Iron Triangle that executed excavation work on behalf of NHAI, said that about one lakh truckloads of earthwork were excavated from the Lanjud tank.
An NHAI official said the aggregates were used for building the new NH 53 (earlier NH 6) in six months.
Another villager said that pisciculture (fish farming) has been undertaken in the pond with monthly yield of about a tonne, bringing employment to many.
At Hiwarkhed where a tank was rejuvenated, Ashok K Hatkar, a local farmer, said it has benefitted at least 10 villages.
A total of 60 such projects have been completed in entire Maharashtra.
"Buldhana was one of the 4-5 districts in Maharashtra which faced farmer suicides. Water level had gone 400 metres down. Wherever work was taken up wells have been recharged, pumps which worked for one hour have been working for 12 hours," Gadkari said.
"At Wardha, Akola, a river was rejuvenated... nine check dams were built there... earlier, there was no scooter no motorcycle in the area. Now it has 18 two-wheelers, 4 four-wheelers, 24 hours water, cultivation ... changing its economy," he noted.
According to him, the work undertaken by the NHAI has resulted in Rs 900 crore worth of work in the area of water conservation.
Excavation or dredging ensure rain water harvesting and also helps in recharging of ground water.
Besides, large scale desilting was done to remove deposits in tanks river etc which obstruct absorption of water.
From water to aggregate supplies, 'Jal Kranti' in drought-prone Vidarbha villages
India’s 12 operational National Waterways carry 72.31 MT cargo per year: Mansukh Mandaviya
By: Our Correspondent
March 6, 2020
The government has spent RS 526.80 crore for the development of NWs across the country in 2019-20.
Minister of State for Shipping, Mansukh Mandaviya informed Lok Sabha on Thursday that the 12 operational national waterways in the country now carry 72.31 metric tonnes of cargo every year and the government has spent 526.80 crore for the development of NWs across the country in 2019-20.
“To promote inland water transport in the country as an economical, environment friendly supplementary mode of transport to rail and road, 111 inland waterways (including 5 National Waterways declared earlier) were declared as ‘National Waterways’ under the National Waterways Act, 2016,” says the release.
Click here to find the release with a complete list of all 111 National Waterways in India (including the 25 inter-state waterways and the new ten developing).
List of projects initiated on NWs by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI):
1. 12 National Waterways
a. National Waterway (NW)-1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system from Allahabad to Haldia) in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal;
b. NW-2 (River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya) in Assam;
c. NW-3 (West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals) in Kerala, have already been developed with fairway navigational aids, jetties and terminals with mechanized equipment handling facilities for loading and unloading of cargo. These NWs are operational and vessels are plying on them.
d. In addition, NW-10 (river Amba), NW-68 (river Mandovi), NW-73 (river Narmada), NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek), NW-85 (Revadanda Creek - Kundalika River System), NW-91 (Shastri river–Jaigad creek system), NW- 97 (Sunderbans Waterways), NW-100 (river Tapi) and NW-111 (river Zuari) are also operational.
At present, a cargo volume of 72.31 million tonnes per annum is being transported on the above operational NWs.
2. Jal Marg Vikas Project
Government has taken up implementation of the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) at an estimated cost of Rs 5369.18 crore for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1 (NW-1) on the Haldia – Varanasi stretch of Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank. The features of the project are development of infrastructure like construction of multimodal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj & Haldia, Ro-Ro terminals, navigational lock at Farakka, channel marking systems, integrated vessel repair & maintenance facilities, automated information techniques of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and River Information System (RIS), day and night navigation aids, slipways, bunkering facilities, river training and river conservancy works. Projects worth Rs 1800 crore (approx.) have commenced on the ground in a time period of three years after statutory clearances.
3. Vijayawada – Muktyala
Fairway development works in Vijayawada – Muktyala stretch of river Krishna in Andhra Pradesh (Part of NW-4) under Phase-I has been completed. Fabrication of four floating pontoons and land acquisition for fixed terminals (4 nos.) at Ibrahimpatnam, Harischandrapuram, Muktyala and Madipadu have been taken up.
4. New 106 National Waterways
Feasibility studies have been completed for 106 new NWs and based on the outcome of feasibility studies and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), 20 new NWs have been found technically feasible for the development of shipping and navigation in addition to 5 existing NWs by the IWAI.
India’s 12 operational National Waterways carry 72.31 MT cargo per year: Mansukh Mandaviya | Shipping
By: Our Correspondent
March 6, 2020
The government has spent RS 526.80 crore for the development of NWs across the country in 2019-20.
Minister of State for Shipping, Mansukh Mandaviya informed Lok Sabha on Thursday that the 12 operational national waterways in the country now carry 72.31 metric tonnes of cargo every year and the government has spent 526.80 crore for the development of NWs across the country in 2019-20.
“To promote inland water transport in the country as an economical, environment friendly supplementary mode of transport to rail and road, 111 inland waterways (including 5 National Waterways declared earlier) were declared as ‘National Waterways’ under the National Waterways Act, 2016,” says the release.
Click here to find the release with a complete list of all 111 National Waterways in India (including the 25 inter-state waterways and the new ten developing).
List of projects initiated on NWs by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI):
1. 12 National Waterways
a. National Waterway (NW)-1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system from Allahabad to Haldia) in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal;
b. NW-2 (River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya) in Assam;
c. NW-3 (West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals) in Kerala, have already been developed with fairway navigational aids, jetties and terminals with mechanized equipment handling facilities for loading and unloading of cargo. These NWs are operational and vessels are plying on them.
d. In addition, NW-10 (river Amba), NW-68 (river Mandovi), NW-73 (river Narmada), NW-83 (Rajpuri Creek), NW-85 (Revadanda Creek - Kundalika River System), NW-91 (Shastri river–Jaigad creek system), NW- 97 (Sunderbans Waterways), NW-100 (river Tapi) and NW-111 (river Zuari) are also operational.
At present, a cargo volume of 72.31 million tonnes per annum is being transported on the above operational NWs.
2. Jal Marg Vikas Project
Government has taken up implementation of the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) at an estimated cost of Rs 5369.18 crore for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1 (NW-1) on the Haldia – Varanasi stretch of Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River System with the technical and financial assistance of the World Bank. The features of the project are development of infrastructure like construction of multimodal terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj & Haldia, Ro-Ro terminals, navigational lock at Farakka, channel marking systems, integrated vessel repair & maintenance facilities, automated information techniques of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and River Information System (RIS), day and night navigation aids, slipways, bunkering facilities, river training and river conservancy works. Projects worth Rs 1800 crore (approx.) have commenced on the ground in a time period of three years after statutory clearances.
3. Vijayawada – Muktyala
Fairway development works in Vijayawada – Muktyala stretch of river Krishna in Andhra Pradesh (Part of NW-4) under Phase-I has been completed. Fabrication of four floating pontoons and land acquisition for fixed terminals (4 nos.) at Ibrahimpatnam, Harischandrapuram, Muktyala and Madipadu have been taken up.
4. New 106 National Waterways
Feasibility studies have been completed for 106 new NWs and based on the outcome of feasibility studies and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), 20 new NWs have been found technically feasible for the development of shipping and navigation in addition to 5 existing NWs by the IWAI.
India’s 12 operational National Waterways carry 72.31 MT cargo per year: Mansukh Mandaviya | Shipping
Lockdown: Health of river Ganga improves
PTI | Last Updated: Apr 02, 2020, 02.40 PM IST
The health of Ganga River has seen significant improvement since enforcement of the nationwide lockdown that has led to reduction in dumping of industrial waste into it, experts have said.
The health of Ganga River has seen significant improvement since enforcement of the nationwide lockdown that has led to reduction in dumping of industrial waste into it, experts have said.
India has been placed under a three-week lockdown since March 24 with its 1.3 billion people instructed to stay home in view of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 50 lives so far and infected over 1,965 people in the country.
The Ganga river water was found to be suitable for bathing at most monitoring centres, the Central Pollution Control Board data showed.
According to the real time water monitoring data of the CPCB, out of the 36 monitoring units placed at various points of the Ganga river, the water quality around 27 points was suitable for bathing and propagation of wildlife and fisheries.
The parameters that the monitoring stations monitor online are dissolved oxygen (more than 6 mg/litre), biochemical oxygen demand (less than 2 mg/litre), total coliform levels (5000 per 100 ml) and pH (range between 6.5 and 8.5) to assess the health of the river.
Earlier, other than stretches in Uttarakhand and a couple of places as the river enters Uttar Pradesh, the river water was found to be unfit for bathing the whole way till it drains into the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal.
Experts said the water quality of Ganga river has improved since the enforcement of the lockdown, especially around the industrial clusters.
Environmentalist Manoj Misra said it is a very good time for the CPCB to study the level of pollution coming from the industry.
"The improvement that is visible needs to be validated with proper data. It is very good time for CPCB to study the level of pollution coming from the industry. It is a very good time to set up a baseline," he said.
Environmentalist Vikrant Tongad said the improvement has been specially seen in the industrial clusters which used to see huge pollution level due to dumping by industries.
Tongad said the improvement has been seen around Ganga in Kanpur, an industrial town, from where huge industrial waste is generated and thrown into rivers.
"The improvement in the quality of water has also been observed in Ganga's tributaries like Hindon and Yamuna," he said.
While the domestic sewerage has not reduced, industrial effluent has nearly finished and that is why the water quality has improved, he said, adding that the water quality is expected to further improve in the coming days till the enforcement of lockdown.
Bhim Singh Rawat, environmentalist and Associate Coordinator South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, People (SANDRP), said improvements have also been seen in Ganga around Mathura.
"The organic pollution level still gets diluted in the river but it is the chemical pollution by industries that destroys river's self cleansing properties. The self-cleansing properties have improved due to which the water quality has improved," he said.
Himanshu Thakkar, environmental activist and water expert, coordinator of South Asia Network of Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), said the improvement is a temporary respite.
"Due to lockdown, industrial activities are at the lower level. There would definitely be less effluent generation and discharge but the improvement is a temporary respite. What is required is more stringent regulations," he said.
"The NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga) is just tinkering with symptoms. They are putting up new infrastructure, creating new agreements, giving more incentives for industries but if there is no transparency or accountability then there is not going to be any change," he said.
However, no official report has been released on the improvement of water quality yet.
Lockdown: Health of river Ganga improves
PTI | Last Updated: Apr 02, 2020, 02.40 PM IST
The health of Ganga River has seen significant improvement since enforcement of the nationwide lockdown that has led to reduction in dumping of industrial waste into it, experts have said.
The health of Ganga River has seen significant improvement since enforcement of the nationwide lockdown that has led to reduction in dumping of industrial waste into it, experts have said.
India has been placed under a three-week lockdown since March 24 with its 1.3 billion people instructed to stay home in view of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 50 lives so far and infected over 1,965 people in the country.
The Ganga river water was found to be suitable for bathing at most monitoring centres, the Central Pollution Control Board data showed.
According to the real time water monitoring data of the CPCB, out of the 36 monitoring units placed at various points of the Ganga river, the water quality around 27 points was suitable for bathing and propagation of wildlife and fisheries.
The parameters that the monitoring stations monitor online are dissolved oxygen (more than 6 mg/litre), biochemical oxygen demand (less than 2 mg/litre), total coliform levels (5000 per 100 ml) and pH (range between 6.5 and 8.5) to assess the health of the river.
Earlier, other than stretches in Uttarakhand and a couple of places as the river enters Uttar Pradesh, the river water was found to be unfit for bathing the whole way till it drains into the Bay of Bengal in West Bengal.
Experts said the water quality of Ganga river has improved since the enforcement of the lockdown, especially around the industrial clusters.
Environmentalist Manoj Misra said it is a very good time for the CPCB to study the level of pollution coming from the industry.
"The improvement that is visible needs to be validated with proper data. It is very good time for CPCB to study the level of pollution coming from the industry. It is a very good time to set up a baseline," he said.
Environmentalist Vikrant Tongad said the improvement has been specially seen in the industrial clusters which used to see huge pollution level due to dumping by industries.
Tongad said the improvement has been seen around Ganga in Kanpur, an industrial town, from where huge industrial waste is generated and thrown into rivers.
"The improvement in the quality of water has also been observed in Ganga's tributaries like Hindon and Yamuna," he said.
While the domestic sewerage has not reduced, industrial effluent has nearly finished and that is why the water quality has improved, he said, adding that the water quality is expected to further improve in the coming days till the enforcement of lockdown.
Bhim Singh Rawat, environmentalist and Associate Coordinator South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, People (SANDRP), said improvements have also been seen in Ganga around Mathura.
"The organic pollution level still gets diluted in the river but it is the chemical pollution by industries that destroys river's self cleansing properties. The self-cleansing properties have improved due to which the water quality has improved," he said.
Himanshu Thakkar, environmental activist and water expert, coordinator of South Asia Network of Dams, Rivers & People (SANDRP), said the improvement is a temporary respite.
"Due to lockdown, industrial activities are at the lower level. There would definitely be less effluent generation and discharge but the improvement is a temporary respite. What is required is more stringent regulations," he said.
"The NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga) is just tinkering with symptoms. They are putting up new infrastructure, creating new agreements, giving more incentives for industries but if there is no transparency or accountability then there is not going to be any change," he said.
However, no official report has been released on the improvement of water quality yet.
Lockdown: Health of river Ganga improves
Some countries are utilising the lockdown period to speed up important construction activities.
Important metro projects, railway projects and highway projects which usually progress at a slow speed due to everyday traffic should be now resumed.
Improvement in infrastructure might attract companies moving out from China.
Important metro projects, railway projects and highway projects which usually progress at a slow speed due to everyday traffic should be now resumed.
Improvement in infrastructure might attract companies moving out from China.
Haryana and J&K to provide tap water to all rural households ahead of national goal
By Vishwa Mohan| TNN | May 13, 2020, 18:54 IST
NEW DELHI: Haryana and Union Territory (UT) Jammu & Kashmir have planned to provide tap water connection to all rural households by December, 2022, ahead of the national goal by 2024-25.
At present, 18.83 lakh out of total 28.94 lakh households in Haryana have Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTCs) whereas 5.75 lakh out of 18.17 lakh households in J&K have such basic facility of drinking water through tap connections.
Out of the remaining 10.11 lakh households in Haryana, the state has planned to provide tap connections in 7 lakh households by 2020-21.
Both Haryana and J&K on Tuesday presented their revised action plan to the department of drinking water & sanitation of the Jal Shakti (water resources) ministry.
The ministry has been implementing the centre’s ambitious ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ (JJM) in partnership with states to ensure every rural household in the country has FHTC for drinking water in adequate quantity and prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis at affordable service delivery charges by 2024-25.
The UT administration informed the ministry that J&K is planning for 100% coverage of all 5,000 villages of 3 districts - Gandharbal, Srinagar and Reasi - during the current year.
Haryana’s officials told the ministry that the state has been giving more emphasis on covering rural households in drought prone areas and aspirational districts.
“State is likely to get Rs 290 crore as central share under JJM for this financial year, which will be supplemented by same amount of State’s matching share,” said a statement from the ministry on Wednesday, adding that the state is eligible for additional allocation based on physical and financial performance.
Jammu & Kashmir is, on the other hand, likely to get Rs 680 crore as central share under JJM for this financial year. The UT too is eligible for additional allocation based on physical and financial performance.
Referring to current Covid-19 situation, the ministry said, “Advisories have been issued to States/UTs to take up works related to drinking water on priority so as to achieve the twin objective of providing tap connections to rural households as well as creating job opportunities for local people and migrant workers.”
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
By Vishwa Mohan| TNN | May 13, 2020, 18:54 IST
NEW DELHI: Haryana and Union Territory (UT) Jammu & Kashmir have planned to provide tap water connection to all rural households by December, 2022, ahead of the national goal by 2024-25.
At present, 18.83 lakh out of total 28.94 lakh households in Haryana have Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTCs) whereas 5.75 lakh out of 18.17 lakh households in J&K have such basic facility of drinking water through tap connections.
Out of the remaining 10.11 lakh households in Haryana, the state has planned to provide tap connections in 7 lakh households by 2020-21.
Both Haryana and J&K on Tuesday presented their revised action plan to the department of drinking water & sanitation of the Jal Shakti (water resources) ministry.
The ministry has been implementing the centre’s ambitious ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ (JJM) in partnership with states to ensure every rural household in the country has FHTC for drinking water in adequate quantity and prescribed quality on regular and long-term basis at affordable service delivery charges by 2024-25.
The UT administration informed the ministry that J&K is planning for 100% coverage of all 5,000 villages of 3 districts - Gandharbal, Srinagar and Reasi - during the current year.
Haryana’s officials told the ministry that the state has been giving more emphasis on covering rural households in drought prone areas and aspirational districts.
“State is likely to get Rs 290 crore as central share under JJM for this financial year, which will be supplemented by same amount of State’s matching share,” said a statement from the ministry on Wednesday, adding that the state is eligible for additional allocation based on physical and financial performance.
Jammu & Kashmir is, on the other hand, likely to get Rs 680 crore as central share under JJM for this financial year. The UT too is eligible for additional allocation based on physical and financial performance.
Referring to current Covid-19 situation, the ministry said, “Advisories have been issued to States/UTs to take up works related to drinking water on priority so as to achieve the twin objective of providing tap connections to rural households as well as creating job opportunities for local people and migrant workers.”
Haryana and J&K to provide tap water to all rural households ahead of national goal | India News - Times of India
India News: NEW DELHI: Haryana and Union Territory (UT) Jammu & Kashmir have planned to provide tap water connection to all rural households by December, 2022.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com