India to Operationalize 47 New National Waterways by 2027 and Cargo Traffic Expected to Reach 156 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) by FY26. National | Dated: 31 May 2025 On May 26, 2025, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), chaired the Consultative Committee meeting on Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) in Mumbai (Maharashtra). 🎯 Key Highlights: - The meeting highlighted plans for operationalizing key projects and future initiatives presented by the Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP) Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the nodal agency under MoPSW. 💡 Other Important Facts: (i) A total of 176 National Waterways (NWs) are targeted to be operational by 2027, including 47 new NWs. (ii) Cargo volume on NWs is projected to reach 156 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) by Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26), aligning with the Maritime India Vision 2030 target of 200 MTPA. (iii) The Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) network is expected to expand from 11 States (FY24) to 23 States and 4 Union Territories (UTs) by FY27. 📚 Test Your Knowledge: How many new National Waterways is India planning to operationalize by 2027? Correct Answer: 47 🚀 Quick Recap: About Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) Chairman: Vijay Kumar Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh (UP)