Indian Parliamentary Research Service Legislative Summaries

The National Waterway (Talcher-Dhamra Stretch of Rivers Geonkhali-Charbatia Stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dharma Stretch of Matai River and Mahanadi Delta Rivers) Bill, 2006 and the National Waterway (Kakinada-Pondicherry Strech of Canals and the Kaluvelly Tank, Bhadrachalam-Rajahmundry Stretch of Godavari and Wazirabad-Vijayawada Stretch of River Krishna) Bill, 2006 were introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2006. The National Waterway (Lakhipur-Bhanga Stretch of the Barak River) Bill, 2007 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 29, 2007. All three Bills were introduced by the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways. The Bills seek to nationalise specific stretches of waterways.

The central government created the Indian Waterways Authority of India in 1985 to regulate and develop inland waterways for the purposes of shipping and navigation. Due to a lack of resources among states, the central government has passed Acts in the past to nationalise certain sections of waterways. Once these waterways are nationalised, the Indian Waterways Authority of India assumes responsibility for their development, maintenance and management.

Each Bill declares different waterways to be national waterways. Each Bill also defines the limits of each waterway.

The National Waterway (Kakinada-Pondicherry Strech of Canals and the Kaluvelly Tank, Bhadrachalam-Rajahmundry Stretch of Godavari and Wazirabad-Vijayawada Stretch of River Krishna) Bill estimates the expenditure for development of this section at Rs 542 crores and an annual operation cost of Rs 11.1 crores.

The National Waterway (Talcher-Dhamra Stretch of Rivers Geonkhali-Charbatia Stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia-Dharma Stretch of Matai River and Mahanadi Delta Rivers) Bill estimates the expenditure for development of this section at Rs 1526 crores and an annual operation cost of Rs 59 crores.

The National Waterway (Lakhipur-Bhanga Stretch of the Barak River) Bill estimates the expenditure for development of this section at Rs 46 crores and an annual operation cost of Rs 4.2 crores.