In a bid to give a push to inland waterways, India is planning to launch the world's longest river cruise between Varanasi and ____________, in January 2023.

The correct answer is 'Assam' . Key Points In a bid to give a push to inland waterways, India is planning to launch the world's longest river cruise between Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Dibrugarh in Assam in January 2023. During its 50-day journey, the "Ganga Vilas" cruise will cover a distance of 4,000 km and also pass through Bangladesh. The journey will start on January 10 and reach Dibrugarh on March 1 after visiting Kolkata and Dhaka. The cruise is expected to run on a PPP model. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed an MoU with Antara Luxury River Cruises and JM Baxi River Cruises for this. After starting at Varanasi, the cruise will reach Patna on the 8 th day. From there, it will reach Kolkata on the 20 th day. After a day's halt, it will again set sail for Bangladesh, where it will spend 15 days before entering India again and reaching Bogibeel (Dibrugarh). Additional Information The Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route will facilitate the cruise's 1,100-km journey in the neighbouring country. This route, which connects the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers, has already opened trade and transit channels between the two countries. Dibrugarh is an industrial city in Upper Assam with sprawling tea gardens. It is located 435 kms East from the state capital of Dispur.