Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 11 (ANI): Union Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday launched seven jetties and laid the foundation stone for another eight at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, saying the move will help bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of a 'self-reliant' India to fruition.

The inauguration event at Ravidas Ghat in Varanasi was also graced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. In his address at the event, the chief minister said, "Two years ago, PM Modi gifted Kashi the Inland Waterway. Now, with jetties in four districts, transporration on water will be more convenient. They will also contribute to bringing the Prime Minister's goal of a 'self-reliant' India to fruition."

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"With the inauguration of seven jetties at Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur and Ballia and eight more coming up, tourism in the entire Purvanchal, Prayagraj, Sonbhadra and Mirzapur, including Kashi, will get a massive boost in the coming days," Adityanath said, adding that it will also contribute to easing the movement of traffic on roads.

He said increased transportation along the Ganga would boost farmers' incomes and also generate employment opportunities for youths.

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"Using water transportation will lessen the load on trains and ease traffic on roads. It will also help reduce pollution," the CM added.

He also released the timetable for Antara cruise between Varanasi and Dibrugarh from January 2023 while signing an MoU for two catamarans -- one powered by hydrogen and another battery-operated.

The government also plans to build a total of 60 jetties between Varanasi and Kolkata, an official release said on Friday.

The CM said more than 90 lakh micro, small, and medium-sized businesses operate in Uttar Pradesh, adding that there was a time when it was a struggle to ship goods from the state as it took inordinately long and access to ports was nothing like what it is today.

"By the time our products reached the ports, their costs shot up. Because of this, our products were unable to compete in the global market," the CM said, adding that there were numerous issues with the export of sugar, fruits, vegetables, chilies and other goods from the state.

He claimed that the government saw the export of 'One District, One Product' (ODOP) goods worth Rs 3,700 crores from Varanasi during the financial year 2021-22 owing to the opening of the first water route for transportation between Varanasi and Haldia two years ago. He credited the PM for the same.

"The inland waterway has eased the traffic concerns of tourists arriving in Varanasi as well as Vindhyavasini Dham, Prayagraj, Sonbhadra, Chandauli, and Mirzapur. We are building several 4-lane and 6-lane roads along witn 12 expressways," the CM added.

Ministers of state Shripad Nayak and Shantanu Thakur, UP cabinet ministers Surya Pratap Shahi, Anil Rajbhar, Minister of State for Transport, Independent Charge Dayashankar Singh, Minister of State Dayashankar Mishra, Ravindra Jaiswal and other dignitaries were also present at the inauguration function. (ANI)

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