Govt committed to ensuring clean Ganga: Kovind

The central government is fully committed to ensuring the uninterrupted flow of river Ganga and making it pollution-free, said President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday.

"Under the 'Namami Gange' scheme, my government will further accelerate the campaign for the closure of drains releasing effluents in the river Ganga. On the lines of river Ganga, the government will also endeavour to clean up other rivers such as Kaveri, Periyar, Narmada, Yamuna, Mahanadi and Godavari," he said in his address to the joint sitting of Parliament.

The President said that cleanliness of Ganga and amenities provided to the people during this year's Ardh Kumbh Mela made news throughout the world.

"My government has enhanced the dignity and self-esteem of every person who contributed towards the successful organisation of Ardh Kumbh by honouring them," Kovind said.

The Namami Gange programme is an integrated mission for Ganga rejuvenation. It has a comprehensive multi-sectoral intervention with multi-stakeholder involvement and adopts a basin based approach which includes Ganga and its tributaries.

The Namami Gange Mission aims at providing comprehensive and sustainable solutions for major pollution hot spots along the stretch of 97 towns and 4,465 villages on the Ganga stem.

This mission is not only constructing new infrastructures but also rehabilitating the old and dilapidated Sewage Treatment Plant (STPs) as well as ensuring Operation and Maintenance (O & M) of all assets hence created.

In Namami Gange programme, a total of 289 projects have so far been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 28,377 crore out of which 87 projects have been completed.