National Waterways Act, 2016
Q. As per the National Waterways Act, 2016, how many national waterways does India have?- Published on 28 Apr 16a. 111
b. 101
c. 5
d. 6
ANSWER: 111
- India now has 111 waterways
- Under Entry 24 of the Union List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the central government can make laws on shipping and navigation on inland waterways which are classified as national waterways by Parliament by law.
- The Act identifies 111 waterways as national waterways, including the five existing national waterways. The Act also specifies the extent of development to be undertaken on each waterway.
- The Act repeals the five Acts that had declared the existing national waterways. These five national waterways will be covered under the Act.
- The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Act states that while inland waterways is recognised as a fuel efficient, cost effective and environment friendly mode of transport, it has received lesser investment as compared to roads and railways. Since inland waterways are lagging behind other modes of transport, the central government has evolved a policy for integrated development of inland waterways.
