Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways signed an MoU with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) to boost river cruise tourism on three National Waterways in J&K.

• About: The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is an autonomous organization that was established on October 27, 1986, in accordance with the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1985.
• Primary responsibility: The development, maintenance, and regulation of waterways that have been designated as National Waterways (NWs) under the National Waterways Act of 2016.

o      IWAI carries out the implementation of policy guidelines and directives issued by the Inland Water Transport (IWT) Wing.

• Headquarter: Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• Regional offices: Guwahati (Assam), Patna (Bihar), Kochi (Kerala), Bhubaneswar (Odisha) and Kolkata (West Bengal).
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• Jammu & Kashmir has three declared national waterways: River Chenab (NW-26) → River Jhelum (NW-49) → River Ravi (NW-84).