Union Government launches Ganga Gram project

The Union Government has formally launched ‘Ganga Gram’ project at Ganga Gram Swachata Sammelan in New Delhi on December 23, 2017. As part of its clean Ganga mission – Namami Gange, Ganga Gram project is an integrated approach for holistic development of villages situated on the banks of the holy river with active participation of villagers. In August 2017, the Union Government declared all 4,470 villages on the banks of the Ganges, located in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, Open Defecation-Free (ODF). Of these villages, the Centre and the state governments have identified 24 villages to be taken up under a pilot project to transform them into Ganga Grams. The project envisages solid and liquid waste management, renovation of ponds and water resources, water conservation, organic farming, horticulture and promotion of medicinal plants.