India Summons Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner

India aims to power its entire coastal and inland waterways shipping fleet, beginning with 1000 vessels, with renewable energy in the next five years, Union ports and shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on the sidelines of the 2nd Inland Waterways Development Council meet on Friday.

- Zia Haq

KAZIRANGA:

The move, expected to bolster the government's goal for net zero carbon emissions by 2070, comes on the heels of a plan to increase annual volumes of domestic cargo movement by inland waterways, he said.

Currently, the share of renewable energy at major ports is less than 10%, according to the official estimates. To boost eco-friendly supply lines and cheaper cargo movement, the country aims to invest Rs 50,000 crore worth of infrastructure, the minister said.

At the meet, the minister announced projects worth Rs 1400 crore in 21 states. India currently has 106 national inland waterways, including the two largest, no. 1 (Ganga) and no. 2 (Brahmaputra).

Total cargo shipments through the country's rivers have gone up from 19.1 million tonnes to 133 million tonnes in 2024, with infrastructure additions to several existing domestic ports.