Waterways are more efficient than roads: Gadkari -Governance Now

Waterways are more efficient than roads: Gadkari

Government’s first priority is waterways, second railways and then comes road

Surbhi Shukla | June 8, 2016

#freight #roads #waterways #Nitin Gadkari #transportation

Waterways needs to be promoted more than roadways which will eventually result in nation’s development by reducing the cost of transportation, said Nitin Gadkari, minister for road transport and highways and shipping at the launch of a report on freight transportation.

“Government’s first priority is waterways, second railways and then comes road,” said the minister on June 7. The minister added that currently six percent goods are transported through waterways and his target is to ensure at least 15 percent of goods are transported through waterways over the next five years.

He also urged logistics firms to buy ships instead of trucks and told them about different schemes like tax exemption, infrastructure status given to shipbuilding. The ministry is also looking for approval from finance ministry to provide subsidy after 7 years.

India has 12 major ports, 200 private ports and 3 organisations, including Shipping Corporation of India and Cochin Shipyard. “We are working on developing two waterways to export iron ore from Goa for which tenders have already been received and also the ministry is planning 8 new ports in which work for 3 ports is scheduled to begin by this year,” he said.

He emphasized on the importance of innovative development approach to reduce logistics cost which will increase export and create employment which would eventually contribute to increase in GDP and per capita Income. He also stressed on creating more business opportunities through transport and making it an additional source of income.

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