The government’s push for cargo movement by inland waterways (rivers and creeks) has resulted in a 700 per cent increase in ferrying of goods by the greenest transportation mode in the past 10 years. Data shows that freight transported by waterways increased to 126 million tonnes (MTs) in 2022-23 from 18 MT in 2013-14. In the current financial year, 100 MT of cargo was transported by inland waterways till December 2023. Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister, Shipping and waterways, said 32.4 MT of cargo was transported by 12 national waterways in 2022-23 compared to only 6.9 MT in 2013-14, registering a 4.5-fold increase. Till December, these waterways transported 22.1 MT.