Govt to launch Ganga Gram project today

New Delhi: Aiming holistic sanitation development in villages on the banks of river Ganga, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is holding a multi-stakeholder meet on Saturday to launch the Ganga Gram Project under the Namami Gange Programme.

In August 2017, with active cooperation with the five states (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal), the ministry had declared all 4,470 Ganga grams open defecation free (ODF). As the ministry is the nodal agency for the Swachh Bharat Mission, 5.2 crore toilets have been constructed since the launch of mission in October 2014, the Press release issued by the ministry said.

In a major achievement, the ministry has made 2.95 lakh villages, 260 districts, 6 states and 2 Union Territories, open defecation free, the release said.

"Subsequent to making all Ganga bank villages ODF, the ministry has identified 24 villages to be taken up as a pilot project to transform them into Ganga Grams. They will set the bench mark of cleanliness and integrated effort of development, which will be converted into Ganga Grams by December 31, 2018," the release said.

Ganga Gram vision is an integrated approach for holistic development of villages situated on the banks of river Ganga with active participation of the villagers. The objectives of the project include solid and liquid waste management, renovation of ponds and water resources, water conservation projects, organic farming, horticulture, and promotion of medicinal plants.