The Union Budget proposed operationalise 20 new National Waterways (NW) over the next five years to boost sustainable cargo movement.
The initiative will commence with National Waterway-5 (NW-5) in Odisha.
Notably, this waterway is intended to connect the mineral-rich areas of Talcher and Angul, as well as industrial centres like Kalinga Nagar, to the ports of Paradeep and Dhamra.
The development aims to create a robust logistical link for industrial and mining sectors in the region.
Besides, training institutes will be established as Regional Centres of Excellence to facilitate the development of required manpower.
As per the proposal, these institutes will benefit youth across the entire stretch of the waterways by enabling them to train and acquire specialised skills.
Ship repair ecosystem
Furthermore, the government plans to set up a ship repair ecosystem catering specifically to inland waterways. These facilities will be located at Varanasi and Patna.
In addition, a Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme will be launched to incentivise a modal shift of cargo from rail and road to inland waterways.
Accordingly, the objective of this scheme is to increase the share of inland waterways and coastal shipping from the current 6 per cent to 12 per cent by 2047.
Published on February 1, 2026
