Project Arth Ganga

Context:

The Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, spoke about the Arth Ganga model during his virtual keynote address to the Stockholm World Water Week 2022.

Relevance:

GS III: Environment and Ecology

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Project Arth Ganga
2. Features of the project:
3. Significance of the project
4. About National Ganga Council

About Project Arth Ganga

• PM Modi first introduced the concept during the first National Ganga Council meeting in Kanpur in 2019, where he urged for a shift from Namami Gange, the Union Government’s flagship project to clean the Ganga, to the model of Arth Ganga.
• The latter focuses on the sustainable development of the Ganga and its surrounding areas, by focusing on economic activities related to the river.
• At its core, the Arth Ganga model seeks to use economics to bridge people with the river.
• The project has been assisted by the World Bank.

Features of the project:

Under Arth Ganga, the government is working on six verticals.

1. Zero Budget Natural Farming, which involves chemical-free farming on 10 km on either side of the river, and the promotion of cow dung as fertiliser through the GOBARdhan scheme.
2. The Monetization and Reuse of Sludge & Wastewater, which seeks to reuse treated water for irrigation, industries and revenue generation for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
3. Arth Ganga will also involve Livelihood Generation Opportunities, by creating haats where people can sell local products, medicinal plants and ayurveda.
4. To increase public participation by increasing synergies between the stakeholders involved with the river.
5. The model also wants to promote the cultural heritage and tourism of Ganga and its surroundings, through boat tourism, adventure sports and by conducting yoga activities.
6. The model seeks to promote institutional building by empowering local administration for improved water governance.

Significance of the project

• The project is a holistic viewpoint of the Ganga rejuvenation project which seeks to promote sustainable livelihood of the population in this area. Inland Waterways being the most important part of the Arth Ganga project, will create huge economic activities while focusing on inclusive and sustainable livelihood.
• Trade and market access benefits, local community economic growth, and passenger convenience all have a big impact.
• According to the World Bank, this project’s infrastructure-related operations will lead to the creation of 100–150 direct jobs per industry.
• The Arth Ganga project will also ensure large scale skills enhancement and public/private sector capability development.
• The ease of transportation and doing business will have a huge impact on the farmers especially horticulture farmers in the region.

About National Ganga Council

• In 2016, the government released a notification replacing the National Ganga River Basin Authority by a new body named “National Council for River Ganga”
• The National Ganga Council is one of the tiers of the five-tier structure envisaged to prevent, control, and abate pollution under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• It is chaired by the Prime Minister.
• It has been given the overall responsibility for the superintendence of pollution prevention and rejuvenation of River Ganga Basin including Ganga and its tributaries.

-Source: The Indian Express