The Centre is likely to undertake a Rs 3,000 crore project to improve Assam’s water transportation in the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers to boost trade in the entire northeastern region.
An Assam government official said in Guwahati that Union minister of state for ports, shipping and waterways Mansukh L Mandaviya and Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday held a discussion virtually to further improve water transports using the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“During the discussion, the Union Minister shared a detailed framework of a nearly Rs 3,000 crore project for improving navigability, transportation, trade and commerce of the rivers Brahmaputra and Barak, the national waterways two and 16,” said an official statement.
The move would improve institutional capacity and existing framework of water transportation in the Brahmaputra and Barak rivers to achieve scalable height in trade and commerce, the statement added.
Mandaviya said that true to the spirit of the Central government for the development of Assam and other northeastern states under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the multi-crore project would encompass all critical areas like development of multimodal logistic hubs with last-mile connectivity, passenger and cargo terminals, and construction of new jetties, among others.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
Sonowal while assuring total cooperation from the Assam government, said once fully implemented, the entire 891-km stretch of the Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Dhubri, and Barak would receive new lease of life in providing gateways to neighbouring countries which would also catapult to the success of the ‘Act-East Policy’.