Centre lines up Rs 60k-cr capex for cruise tourism

Kolkata: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday said the government would invest Rs60,000 crore by 2047 in river cruise tourism and development of green vessels. “We are going to invest Rs45,000 crore in river cruise, which will take the passenger capacity from 2 lakh to 15 lakh by 2047,” he said on the sidelines of the first Inland Waterways Development Council meeting here. Sonowal also said the government aims at investing another Rs15,000 crore in green transport over the next 10 yearsto develop 1,000 vessels and ferries.

“In total, there will be a Rs60,000-crore investment by 2047, and it will be through the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The projects will help generate thousands of jobs,” the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.

The council meeting, represented by officials of around 20 States and Union territories, also saw the unveiling of ‘Harit Nauka’ – guidelines for green transition of inland vessels and the River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047.