Lok Sabha Question No. 3884 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-23
Subject: Arth Ganga Project
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Sanjay Jaiswal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI,

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †

ANSWERED ON 23.03.2023

## ARTH GANGA PROJECT

†3884. DR. SANJAY JAISWAL

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has formulated any comprehensive scheme to develop tourism circuit along the banks of the Ganga under Arth Ganga Project;

- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;

(c) the details of the projects completed and ongoing under National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG); and

(d)  the  details  of  the  Ministries/Departments  engaged  for  the  successful  implementation  of  the  Arth Ganga Project in various States?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) & (b) Arth Ganga is a sustainable viable economic model conceptualized under "Namami-Gange" program to integrate people in the basin with Ganga Rejuvenation. A number of initiatives have been taken  by  the  National  Mission  for  Clean  Ganga  (NMCG)  under  this  Arth-Ganga  concept,  in  coordination with many Ministries/ Departments of Central and state governments and even NGOs. There are six key verticals of intervention in the model, namely:

- i. Promotion  of  Zero  Budget  Natural  Farming  (ZBNF),  which  includes  promotion  of  Natural Farming in Ganga Basin.
- ii. Monetization and reuse of treated wastewater and sludge. It refers to reuse of treated wastewater by  ULBs  for  generation  of  revenue  and  conversion  of  sludge  into  usable  products  such  as manure, pavers and bricks for revenue generation as well as safe disposal of sludge.
- iii. Development of Livelihood generation opportunities through activities like 'Ghat Main Haat' for sale of local products of Ganga  cities/towns along riverbanks; self-sustaining of Ghats and capacity building trainings of Ganga Praharis etc. Jalaj units for income generation activities for Ganga Praharis have been set up in many locations.

## 3884

- iv. Encouragement of Public Participation through organizing regular events such as Ganga Aartis, cleanliness drives, Ganga Guide Trainings, Yoga on Ghat, Ghat Pe Haat etc. in coordination with District Ganga Committees.
- v. Promotion of Cultural heritage and tourism by development of small local tourism and cultural circuits;  introduction  of  boat  tourism  through  community  jetties;  promotion  of  yoga  and wellness, medical tourism, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, enhancement of cultural connection with the river through aartis & Ganga trails;
- vi. Institution  Building  through  setting  up  of  decentralized  monitoring  and  governance  units  like District  Ganga  Committees  (DGCs);  enhancement  of  the  capacities  of  DGCs  and  other  local administration institutions for better water governance and sustenance of the projects, post asset handover.

Under one of the verticals i.e. Promotion of Cultural heritage  and tourism, NMCG has signed an MoU with Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Culture to develop tourism in Ganga basin under Arth Ganga. The details are:

- i. Under PRASHAD scheme of Ministry of Tourism, following projects are being funded:
- Development of Patna Sahib for Rs. 41.54 crore in Bihar;
- Development of infrastructure for pilgrimage facilitation in Badrinath Ji Dham for Rs. 56.13 crore in Uttarakhand;
- Development of Varanasi - Phase I for Rs. 20.40 crore in Uttar Pradesh;
- Cruise Tourism in River Ganga, Varanasi for Rs. 9.02 crore;
- Development of Varanasi - Phase II for Rs. 44.60 crore;
- Development of Belur for Rs. 30.03 crore in West Bengal;
- Augmentation of Pilgrimage Infrastructure Facilities and Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham in Uttarakhand for Rs 54.36 crore.
- ii. Under the scheme for assistance to Central Agencies for Tourism Infrastructure Development, a financial support of Rs. 28.03 crore has been provided to Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for the project 'Development of Jetties at Nine Main Points of Embarkation/Disembarkation of River Cruise on National Waterway No. 1 and 2. A River cruise in Ganga was launched on 13 January, 2023 by Hon'ble Prime Minister.
- iii. Under Swadesh Darshan scheme, a project 'Integrated Development of Eco-Tourism, Adventure Sports,  and  Associated  Tourism  Related  Infrastructure  for  Development  of  Tehri  Lake  & Surroundings  as  New  Destination,  District  Tehri'  in  Uttarakhand  has  also  been  completed  at Rs.69.17  crore.  'Prayagraj'  has  also  been  identified  as  a  destination  in  Uttar  Pradesh  for development under Swadesh Darshan 2 Scheme (SD2.0).

iv. Development of River fronts have been taken up at Badrinath, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Patna etc were taken up under Namami-Gange and Clean Ganga Fund

In  addition,  Ganga  Aarti  is  being  conducted  at  several  Ghats.  Awareness  and  aarti  training workshops are also being conducted to promote regular aartis on ghats along Ganga. Training of Ganga guides are also being held to equip required skills for promoting eco-tourism. All Ganga Basin district have  also  been  mapped  by  INTACH  for  documenting  architectural,  natural  and  intangible  cultural heritage.  A  number  of  locations  have  been  identified  for  promoting  tourism  during  Azadi  Ka  Arut Mahotsav.

(c) Under  Namami  Gange  Programme,  a  comprehensive  set  of  interventions  such  as  wastewater treatment,  solid  waste  management,  river  front  management  (ghats  and  crematoria  development),  eflow,  afforestation,  biodiversity  conservation  and  Public  Participation  etc.  have  been  taken  up  for rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries. So far, till 28 th February  2023, a total of 424 projects have  been  taken  up  at  an  estimated  cost  of  Rs.  35,414  crore,  out  of  which  242  projects  have  been completed and made operational. A total of 132 projects are under progress and 49 projects are under various stages of tendering. Majority of the projects pertain to creation of sewage infrastructure as the untreated  domestic/industrial  wastewater  is  the  main  reason  for  pollution  in  the  river.  A  total  of  183 sewerage  infrastructure  projects  have  been  taken  up  with  a  cost  of  Rs.  29,154  crore  for  creation  & rehabilitation  of  5,658  Million  Litres  Daily  (MLD)  of  Sewage  Treatment  Plant  (STP)  capacity  and laying  of  around  5,206  KM  sewerage  network.   Among  these,  105  sewerage  projects  have  been completed resulting in creation & rehabilitation of 2,173 MLD of STP capacity and laying of 4,362 KM sewerage network. In order to sustain the continued operation of the sewage treatment infrastructure, Hybrid Annuity based PPP mode has also been adopted.

(d) The Ministries/Departments engaged for the successful implementation of the Arth Ganga Project in various States include Ministries of Tourism, Culture, Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Power, Ayush. Railways, Housing & Urban Affairs and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). NITI Aayog has also constituted a group for developing a sustainable economic development Model based on the river Ganga - Arth Ganga.

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