Shah lauds improvements in River Ganga water quality, cites shortfalls during UPA regime

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday stated the difference between the efforts put by Congress versus the BJP government in cleaning River Ganga and lauded the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government for the remarkable improvement in the quality of River Ganga.

Speaking at 'Ganga Amantaran Abhiyan' organised by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Shah said, "Congress had ignored river Ganga. From 1985 to 2014, the government had spent merely Rs 4,000 crore but nobody knows what the results were. From 2015 to 2020, the Modi government has sanctioned Rs 20,000 crore and started the Namami Gange project. In the Ganga basin, the centre and state together flagged off 310 projects worth Rs 28,790 crores, of which 116 projects have been completed and rest are running smoothly which will be completed soon." 

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"In 2014, when we were elected to power, we started Namami Gange to control pollution in the river, maintain its sanctity, ensuring its continuous flow, developing the river as a national waterway. In just five years, Samples from different locations of the river show that Namami Gange Abhiyan succeeds in improving the quality of water in Ganga. People became aware of Ganga's sanctity," he added.

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Speaking of the success of the Namami Gange initiative, Shah asserted that the government is planning to launch similar initiatives to clean other rivers in the country in coordination with the respective state governments.

Shah said the aim of various Ganga missions is to ensure that people are made aware of the ecological, cultural and historical importance of the river.

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"We should educate and make aware children in the age group of 15 years about Ganga and its importance and we will see that these children, over the next 60-70 years, will themselves be capable to protect the river," he added.

Speaking at the event, Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Shekhawat said Ganga today is one amongst the ten cleanest rivers of the world and efforts put by the Modi government over the last five years has borne good results.

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(With inputs from agencies)