Lucknow, Feb. 2 -- The Union Budget 2026-27 has given a major push to inland water transport with the announcement of ship manufacturing and repair centres at Varanasi and Patna, a move expected to transform eastern Uttar Pradesh into a key hub of river-based logistics and mobility.

Presenting the budget in Parliament, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government would develop a complete ecosystem to support vessels operating on inland waterways, along with plans to operationalise 20 new national waterways over the next five years to promote cost-effective and environmentally sustainable transport.

The selection of Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, is being seen as strategically significant as t...