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Mizzima: India to open more water w



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   India to open more water ways for trade with neighboring countries

By Our Correspondent
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)

Guwahati, Oct. 11. In a bid to boost up trade between Bangladesh and the
North East India, the government of India has mooted a Rupee 300 crore
scheme to develop waterways on the Brahamaputra river covering a stretch
of 891 km in Assam State. The trade, which remained affected with
Bangladesh due to communication bottleneck and insurgency problem, is
likely to receive a shot in the arm in coming days.

The scheme was formulated at a high level meeting, which concluded in
Guwahati on Wednesday last. Apart from improving waterways, the
Government of India also decided to set up terminals and the night
navigational facilities on the mighty Brahmaputra to accelerate the
movement of cargo.

The Union Minister of shipping Mr. Vedprakash Goyel attending the
meeting announced 100% grant to the vessel builders so as to give an
impetus on the inland water transport.

"We have decided to open more water ways with the neighboring countries
for expanding our trade and commerce", the minister said.

The Brahamaputra was declared as the National waterway II in 1988 for
transportation of goods, but due to poor infrastructure, the movement of
Cargo vessels was affected. Later the Inland Waterways Authority of
India (IWAI) removed the hindrance last year and trade along the river
is now gaining momentum.

Although India and Bangladesh had signed a protocol for movement of
cargo long time back, the perennial insurgency problem affected it to a
large extent. In view of growing traders and a vast potential, India and
Bangladesh had resumed cargo movement after an agreement. Under the
agreement, both the countries agreed to ply IWT vessels on the
designated routes. These are -- Haldia, Aolkota, Karimganj and Pandu
(Assam) in India and Siranjganj , narayanganj , Khulna and Mongla in
Bangladesh.

Meanwhile the traders engaged in export have welcomed the move of
Government of India saying it would definitely help the traders in
expanding their business with Bangladesh by way of waterways.

Mr. Nikunja Sarma who runs coal business, said that the entire region
would be able to garner more revenue. He also urged the government of
India to improve the road communication of the North East so that the
traders can take advantage of it.

The local entrepreneurs such as Mr. Gunjit Choudhury, Mr. Kalyan
Bordoloi and Mr. Abdul Sheikh unequivocally hailed the move of the
government of India and appealed to the IWAI to setup more terminals on
the Brahamaputra for loading and unloading .The entrepreneurs also
advocated improvement of waterways on the other tributaries of the North
East with an eye to improve the trade with the neighboring countries.

"The need of the hour is to upgrade the infrastructure of the North East
in order to remove the backwardness of the region", they said.

It is worth mentioning that in view of ongoing illegal trade, along the
Indo- Bangladesh border, the government of India has been incurring
crores of rupees revenue.



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<center><b><font color="#000099"><font size=+1>India to open more water
ways for trade with neighboring countries</font></font></b></center>

<p><font color="#FF0000">By Our Correspondent</font>
<br><font color="#FF0000">Mizzima News <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a></font>
<p><i><font color="#FF0000">Guwahati, Oct. 11.</font></i> In a bid to boost
up trade between Bangladesh and the North East India, the government of
India has mooted a Rupee 300 crore scheme to develop waterways on the Brahamaputra
river covering a stretch of 891 km in Assam State. The trade, which remained
affected with Bangladesh due to communication bottleneck and insurgency
problem, is likely to receive a shot in the arm in coming days.
<p>The scheme was formulated at a high level meeting, which concluded in
Guwahati on Wednesday last. Apart from improving waterways, the Government
of India also decided to set up terminals and the night navigational facilities
on the mighty Brahmaputra to accelerate the movement of cargo.
<p>The Union Minister of shipping Mr. Vedprakash Goyel attending the meeting
announced 100% grant to the vessel builders so as to give an impetus on
the inland water transport.
<p>"We have decided to open more water ways with the neighboring countries
for expanding our trade and commerce", the minister said.
<p>The Brahamaputra was declared as the National waterway II in 1988 for
transportation of goods, but due to poor infrastructure, the movement of
Cargo vessels was affected. Later the Inland Waterways Authority of India
(IWAI) removed the hindrance last year and trade along the river is now
gaining momentum.
<p>Although India and Bangladesh had signed a protocol for movement of
cargo long time back, the perennial insurgency problem affected it to a
large extent. In view of growing traders and a vast potential, India and
Bangladesh had resumed cargo movement after an agreement. Under the agreement,
both the countries agreed to ply IWT vessels on the designated routes.
These are -- Haldia, Aolkota, Karimganj and Pandu (Assam) in India and
Siranjganj , narayanganj , Khulna and Mongla in Bangladesh.
<p>Meanwhile the traders engaged in export have welcomed the move of Government
of India saying it would definitely help the traders in expanding their
business with Bangladesh by way of waterways.
<p>Mr. Nikunja Sarma who runs coal business, said that the entire region
would be able to garner more revenue. He also urged the government of India
to improve the road communication of the North East so that the traders
can take advantage of it.
<p>The local entrepreneurs such as Mr. Gunjit Choudhury, Mr. Kalyan Bordoloi
and Mr. Abdul Sheikh unequivocally hailed the move of the government of
India and appealed to the IWAI to setup more terminals on the Brahamaputra
for loading and unloading .The entrepreneurs also advocated improvement
of waterways on the other tributaries of the North East with an eye to
improve the trade with the neighboring countries.
<p>"The need of the hour is to upgrade the infrastructure of the North
East in order to remove the backwardness of the region", they said.
<p>It is worth mentioning that in view of ongoing illegal trade, along
the Indo- Bangladesh border, the government of India has been incurring
crores of rupees revenue.
<p>&nbsp;</html>

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