Sonowal to hold inland waterways meeting

New Delhi: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal will on Monday chair the first inland waterways development council meeting in Kolkata and launch ‘Harit Nauka’ guidelines along with the ‘River Cruise Tourism Roadmap’, an official statement said. The statement further said the day-long meeting on board the vessel MV Ganga Queen, will bring together key figures from across the waterways states and central government.

Additionally, the event anticipates the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), marking collaborative efforts towards advancing the inland waterways and associated sector, it added. According to the statement, the sessions encompass topics such as fairway development, private sector engagement and best practices, optimizing 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, and emphasizing sustainable practices, among others.