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IWAI gets 13 proposals from Maharashtra
Shakti S. Singh
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has received 13 proposals from the Maharashtra government under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for development of inland waterways. According to Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, T.R. Balu, out of the 13 proposals, the Centre has approved six proposals totalling Rs 22.58 crore and funds to the tune of Rs 8.93 crore have been released. For the remaining seven proposals costing Rs 95.23 crore, clarifications have been sought from the state.
India has about 14,500 km of navigable inland waterways of which river Ganga (1,620 km), river Brahmaputra (891 km) and West Coast Canal (205 km) have been declared as national waterways. Cargo handling facilities are available on the national waterways.
Maharashtra and Gujarat have 501 km and 286 km of navigable inland waterways respectively, but these have not been declared as national waterways.
[15 August 2005]
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