Cabinet gives nod to Bill on natl waterways conversion
NEWDELHI: The government on Wednesday approved a proposal for central legislation to declare 106 additional inland waterways including five rivers in Meghalaya as national waterways.
The five rivers of Meghalaya are Jingjiram (West Garo Hills), Kynshi (South West Khasi Hills), Umngot (West Jaintia Hills) Simsang (East Garo Hills) and Ganol ( West Garo Hills).
“The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to carry out official amendments in the National Waterways Bill, 2015,” an official statement said.
The amendments are based on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture and comments of states.
It provides for enacting a central legislation to declare 106 additional inland waterways as the national waterways.
“After the inclusion of 106 additional inlands waterways to the existing five national waterways, the total number of national waterways goes up to 111,” the statement said.
The changes effected in the original list of 101 waterways, which was introduced with the National Waterways Bill 2015 on May 5 this year, include omission of 10 waterways of Kerala, merger of 17 with the existing waterways and addition of 18.
“In order to carry out these changes, an official amendment to the National Waterways Bill, 2015 will have to be moved in the Lok Sabha in the current session of Parliament,” the statement said. (PTI)