On December 15, 2024, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways launched the Jalvahak scheme, a scheme for cargo promotion, incentivising the movement of long-haul cargo via inland waterways. This scheme is a major step towards promoting sustainable and cost-effective transportation across National Waterway (NW) 1 (Ganga), NW 2 (Brahmaputra), and NW 16 (Barak River).
It provides reimbursement upto 35 per cent of total operating expenditure incurred while transporting cargo via waterways on NW 1, NW 2 and NW 16 via the Indo Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route, over distances exceeding 300 km. Further, it encourages cargo owners to hire vessels owned or operated by organisations other than the Inland Waterways Authority of India or Inland and Coastal Shipping Limited. The scheme is initially valid for three years.