<span style="color: #222222;">Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways minister Sarbanada Sonowal has said that the operation of MV Ganga Vilas will open new employment opportunities and also benefit India's neighboring countries. </span><br />''<br />''Talking to the newspersons in Guwahati, the Union minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the journey of the longest river cruise on the 13th of January at Varanasi. The cruise will sail through 28 river systems covering 3200 kilometres from Varanasi to Dibrugarh. <br />''<br />''Mr. Sonowal said that this river cruise is one of the best examples of Modi's Act East policy. He said that the visitors could explore the culture and heritage of the places they will travel to. <br />''<br />''The river cruise also brings employment opportunities in the coming days for local people as well as it will benefit neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. <br />''<br />''He also hoped that the cruise industry will flourish to a large extent after the beginning of the river cruise. Mr. Sonowal said that 36 Swiss citizens will travel in the maiden journey of the MV Ganga Vilas. One passenger will have to bear 300 US dollar per day for this journey. <br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">He further added that Prime Minister will also inaugurate the ship repairing facilities at Pandu in Guwahati on 13th January from Varanasi which will help the cruise operators of North East region. </span><br />