According to a report, prepared by the Food and Consumer Affairs ministry, majority of the states of India have failed to distribute foodgrain - given to them by the Centre at highly subsidised prices - to the people living below the poverty line (BPL).

Only 57 per cent of the people in the BPL category lifted wheat, which meant that only 36 lakh tonnes were distributed out of the total allotment of 64 lakh tonnes during 2000-2001. The ratio of the recipients rose to 73 per cent in the case of rice.

Altogether, nearly 50 per cent of the foodgrain given in the BPL and Antodaya schemes remained unutilised. On the top of this, a part of the utilised allotment gets diverted to the open market. Performance of Bihar is also pathetic. The Bihar government could distribute rice among only 17 per cent of the BPL population. Out of 7.50 lakh tonnes of rice allocated to Bihar during the year 2000-2001, only 1.31 lakh tonnes was lifted.

The govt. failed even in serving the poor at the expense of the Centre.

Waterways are made by nature, which have only to be upgraded and maintained. The Union government has taken a policy decision to give a boost to the inland waterways transport (IWT) system in the country as it is an economic, fuel efficient and environment friendly mode of transport.

The Ganga is one of the most difficult rivers to keep it navigable throughout the year because it is an alluvial river which goes on depositing silt and changes its course quite often. Hence, dredging has to be done regularly to maintain the least available draft (LAD). With a view to meeting this recurring problem the IWAI has plans to acquire dredgers for being deployed on regular basis on the NW-1 and NW-2 (Brahmaputra).

India has nearly 14,500 km of inland waterways comprising major rivers like the Ganga (NW-1), Brahmaputra (NW-2), Godavari, Krishna and Barak as well as lakes and canals, which can provide an alternative mode of transportation to meet the growing needs of development, including trade and commerce To facilitate navigational link in the east and north-eastern parts of the country, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is trying its best to link the two rivers Ganga and the Brahmaputra as national waterway. Once these two waterways are connected major parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam and some other north-eastern states would be connected through the river route.

India had requested Bangladesh to extend help in linking the two most important waterways of the country. Some rivers in eastern India have their catchment areas in Bangladesh while few have their tributaries.

In its effort to make river Ganga navigable, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) brought one of its shallow draft cargo vessel M V Rajagopalachari, loaded with 140 tonnes of goods, for a demonstration voyage.

The vessel was accompanied by a hydraulic surface dredger named Sone The vessel has been brought to Patna for a trial run of dredging work which was carried out successfully. The dredger would be used for cleaning the shoals before the actual lean season begins.

The stretch of Ganga, between Haldia and Allahabad, has already been declared as the National Waterways (NW) 1.