Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, responsible for the ministries of ports, shipping, waterways, and Ayush, conducted a comprehensive review of ongoing projects in the North Eastern region on Tuesday. With a keen focus on expediting critical projects, the minister directed officials to prioritize completion by January 2024. The spotlight of the review centered on the allocation of more than Rs 1100 crore for the development of 25 projects in inland waterways.
During the review meeting, senior officials from the ministries of ports, shipping, waterways, and Ayush presented the status of ongoing projects. Notably, Rs 850 crore has been earmarked for 15 projects in Assam alone, reflecting a substantial commitment to bolstering the region’s inland waterway infrastructure.
It is noteworthy that in Nagaland, four rivers have been identified by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) as National Waterways. These include National Waterway-30: Dhansiri/Chate River; National Waterway-31: Dikhu River; National Waterway-32: Doyang river; and National Waterway-101: Tizu-Zungki River. Particularly significant is the Tizu-Zungki River, declared National Waterway No.101 by IWAI, aligning with the Act East Policy of the Government of India.
The strategic focus on the Tizu-Zungki River in Nagaland is due to its uniqueness and significance. The Nagaland Inland Waterways Board (NIWB) is spearheading the Tizu-Zungki River project. This project stands out due to the river’s unique characteristics—it is the only east-ward flowing river in Nagaland, draining into Myanmar and ultimately joining the Chindwin River. The proposed waterway aims to cover 42 km, starting from Longmatra under Kiphire district and concluding at Avangkhu, an International Trade Centre under Phek district.
It is believed that once the waterway starts functioning, the high deposits of granite, marble, and limestone in Phek and Kiphire can be explored and exported to other countries. Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang has informed in the past that this project was first taken up in 2015-16.
Chairing the review meeting, Minister Sonowal emphasized the commitment to completing critical projects within the set timeframe. Out of the inland waterway projects, six projects including permanent jetties at Bogibeel and Sonamura, along with floating jetties at Bogibeel and Pandu, and the renovation of jetties at Badarpur and Karimganj, are slated for completion. The combined value of these projects is Rs 150 crores, with a dedicated focus on operationalizing them by January 2024.
In addition to waterway developments, the Ministry of Ayush is actively contributing to the region’s well-being. Projects worth Rs 286 crores are underway across the Northeast.
The minister directed Ayush officials to escalate and expedite ongoing projects, including the construction of a yoga and naturopathy hospital in Dibrugarh and a new building for the Regional Research Institute of Homoeopathy (RRIH) and integrated Ayush Wellness Centre in Guwahati. The foundation stone-laying ceremonies for these projects, collectively valued at Rs 114.99 crores, are scheduled for January 2024.