Section 2. The existing Inland Vessels Act, 1917, inter alia, empowered the State Governments to frame rules on

2. The existing Inland Vessels Act, 1917, inter alia, empowered the State Governments to frame rules on their own. However, the rules made by various State Governments are not uniform across the country. The requirement of no objection certificate or endorsement to ply beyond the State jurisdiction, lack of uniformity of applicable norms and standards prescribed by various State Governments, lack of flexibility in its provisions, and the like, are shortfalls in the said Act. Hence, a comprehensive review of its provisions was necessitated to overcome such shortfalls and to cope up with the present needs and foreseeing developments in the near future. Thus, it is expedient to enact a new legislation to replace the century old archaic Inland Vessels Act, 1917.