Uttar Pradesh Inland Waterways Authority

• 08 Feb 2025

Why in News? 

Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government approved the formation of 'Uttar Pradesh Inland Waterways Authority' to promote water transport and water tourism in the state. 

Key Points 

• Uttar Pradesh Inland Waterways Authority:  
  • Its objective is to promote water transport by developing waterways, which will reduce pressure on road and rail networks.  
  • Major cities situated along the banks of the Ganga River and other waterways hold significant potential for water tourism development. 
  • Structure:   
    • The Authority will be headed by a Minister of Transport or an expert in Waterways, Shipping, Navigation, Ports and Maritime Affairs nominated by the Chief Minister.  
      • The Vice-Chairman will be appointed by the State Government.  
      • A representative nominated by the Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) will also be its member. 
      • The Transport Commissioner of Uttar Pradesh will be the Chief Executive Officer of this Authority. 

• Waterways in Uttar Pradesh:  
  • It is notable that 111 national waterways have been declared in the country, of which Uttar Pradesh has a total of 11 national waterways including Ganga and Yamuna. 

 Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) 

• IWAI is a statutory body under the Ministry of Shipping . 
• It was constituted under the IWAI Act, 1985 by the Indian Parliament. 
• Its headquarter is located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. While regional offices are in Patna, Kolkata, Guwahati and Kochi and sub-offices in Pra