‘Arth Ganga’, a new model for the river’s sustainable development

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 recently.

• 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.

What is Arth Ganga Model?

• Arth Ganga focuses on the sustainable development of the Ganga and its surrounding areas, by focusing on economic activities related to the river.
• Under Arth Ganga, the government is working on six verticals.
  • Zero Budget Natural Farming: 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.
  • Monetization and Reuse of Sludge & Wastewater: seeks to reuse treated water for irrigation, industries and revenue generation for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
  • Livelihood Generation Opportunities: by creating haats where people can sell local products, medicinal plants and ayurveda.
  • Increase public participation: by increasing synergies between the stakeholders involved with the river.
  • Promote the cultural heritage and tourism of Ganga and its surroundings, through boat tourism, adventure sports and by conducting yoga activities.
  • Promote institutional building by empowering local administration for improved water governance.

World Water Week:

• World Water Week is observed in the last week of August every year.
• The week is marked by a conference organised every year by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). 
• World Water Week was initially started as the Stockholm Water Symposium in 1991 in the Swedish capital. 
• The 2022 theme, “Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water”, helps us view water in new and fascinating ways.