The National Waterways Bill 2015 was passed by Lok Sabha in December 2015, while Rajya Sabha passed the bill in March 2016. The Bill is now known as the National Waterways Act, 2016.
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 Bill identifies additional 101 waterways as National Waterways.The Schedule of the Bill also specifies the extent of development to be undertaken on each waterway.
The Bill repeals the five Acts that declare the existing national waterways.These five national waterways are now covered under the Bill.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill states that while inland waterways are 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.
