Northeast is now much closer to its neighbouring nations via increased waterways development: Sarbananda Sonowal

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and former chief minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal on November 18 said that the northeastern region has witnessed massive development with respect to waterway connectivity under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Speaking at the India Today Infrastructure Conclave 2023, the Union Minister highlighted several schemes and projects initiated by the government to improve country’s waterway system. 

Praising PM Modi’s leadership and the numerous projects undertaken especially to develop the northeastern region, Sonowal said, “The Northeast is always a priority region for PM Modi who has visited more than 50 times the entire Northeastern region, all the eight states. The region is top of agenda. The growth of NE is visible. As you know under the direction of PM Modi the Jalma Vikas Project, Earth Ganga have been initiated under which the riverways are to be developed by train infrastructure, by multi model terminal, and passenger and cargo jetty and also terminal for river cruise. So all these are now under development”.

“As you know in Jogighopa, along the Brahmaputra River we are developing one multi model logistic park. By multi model logistic park we mean that it will be an international river port, that will help Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal get access of service, because export and import with or neighbouring nations and also connecting Myanmar through Bangladesh. PM Modi right after taking charge as Prime Minister announced 111 waterways, earlier it was limited only to 5 and among which only 3 were operational.  Because the growth due to transformative measures, because of the growth of infrastructure facilities, now the cargo movement from 16 million MT to 127 million MT. By 2030, Maritime Vision 2030, our target is to take it to 300 million MT. So this is how we generated success stories in the northeastern region.

The Union Minister expressed optimism in the all round development of northeastern region after the development of the port and waterway projects that will bring the states closer with their neighbouring nations and will help in boosting the economic opportunity as well.

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