Shipping ministry has mooted a proposal to use part of the about Rs 8,000 crore fund for development of the waterways in the countryThe Union shipping ministry has proposed utilising 5% of Central Road Fund for developing inland waterways. Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said his ministry has sent a proposal to get a part of the Central Road Fund so that the ambitious plan of having a network of inland waterways can be developed. Under the National Waterways Act 2016, a total of 111 inland waterways across 24 states have been declared as national waterways. In order to take a share of the fund, the Central Road Fund Act will have to be amended to include waterways too. With the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways starting to award road projects under the hybrid annuity model (HAM), Gadkari said, "I also want to introduce HAM for inland waterways, just like road."

Source: dna August 23, 2016 01:52 UTC