Ganga rejuvenation roadmap to be prepared in one month

As part of plans for Ganga's rejuvenation, transport of passengers and goods between Varanasi and Hooghly on the Hindu holy river is being contemplated, an official statement said Friday.

Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari chaired a meeting to lay a roadmap for Ganga rejuvenation, the statement said.

In the meeting, also attended by Environment and Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar along with Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Uma Bharti, a decision was taken to constitute an inter-ministerial committee of secretaries under the chairmanship of water resources secretary for preparing a plan for Ganga rejuvenation in about a month's time.

"We have decided to meet from time to time to take forward this issue which is a priority of the government and a subject included in their party-manifesto. Such parameters will be extended for development of other rivers of the country also,"Uma Bharti told the media after the meeting.