Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the first Inland Waterways Development Council meeting in Kolkata, Sonowal said, “We are going to invest Rs 45,000 crore in river cruise, which will take the passenger capacity from 2 lakh to 15 lakh by 2047. The central government aims to invest another Rs 15,000 crore in green transport over the next 10 years to develop 1,000 vessels and ferries. In total, there will be a Rs 60,000 crore investment by 2047, and it will be through the public-private partnership (PPP) model.”

Sonowal, who holds the ministerial portfolio of ports, shipping, and waterways, said such projects would help generate thousands of jobs.

Of the Rs 45,000 crore investment in cruise tourism, an estimated Rs 35,000 crore has been earmarked for cruise vessels while Rs 10,000 crore will be used for the development of cruise terminal infrastructure.

At the council meeting, which was attended by officials of around 20 states and Union Territories, ‘Harit Nauka’ guidelines for the green transition of inland vessels and the River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047 were also unveiled.

The former Assam chief minister conducted the day-long meeting to streamline and advance the development of waterways involving states and central government agencies.

He drew particular attention to the remarkable turnaround of Kolkata Port, now known as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port. Once a loss-making entity of around Rs 70 crore, it has now posted a net profit of Rs 550 crore in 2022-23, Sonowal said. “This exemplifies the government’s commitment and the effectiveness of its measures,” he added.

The sessions covered topics such as fairway development, private sector engagement and best practices, optimising cargo transport efficiency in Inland Water Transport (IWT), fostering the promotion and development of eco-friendly vessels for passenger transportation, and exploring the economic advantages of river cruise tourism among others.