Context

• Recently, Second Ganga Gram Swachchhata sammelan was held at Chyavan Rishi Ashram in Bihar.
• Ganga Grams, being developed as a pilot project, are hailed as model villages to be emulated by the other villages.

About

Ganga Gram Swachchhata Sammelan (GGSS)

• GGSS is a multi-stakeholder platform convened by Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation to discuss ways and means for rejuvenating and cleaning Ganga basin and surrounding villages through which river Ganga flows.
• Sammelan included delegates from the Ganga river states, volunteer youth organisations, Central Ministers, NGOs, Civil society and Ganga Swacchta Manch
• The first such GGSS was held in December 2017, at Vigyan Bhavan Delhi during which a pilot project-Ganga Gram was launched under the Namami Ganga Programme.
• Presiding The GGSS is presided over by Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Ganga Gram Project (GGP)

• Ganga Gram is a concept to transform the villages on the bank of river Ganga into ideal villages with emphasis on Open Defecation Free, Solid and Liquid Waste Management, Water Conservation etc.
• After declaration of all 4465 Ganga Bank villages as open defecation free (ODF), the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MoDWS) is working in the direction of sustaining the ODF status of this area.
• In this regard, Ganga Gram project has been conceived as an ideal means to sustain the ecosystem of river Ganga and its surroundings. 
• MoDWS along with State Governments (through which Ganga flows) identified 24 villages to be taken up as a pilot project to transform them into Ganga Grams.
• These grams will set the bench mark of cleanliness and integrated effort of development. These will be converted into Ganga Grams by 31st December 2018.
• Moreover 65 villages have been adopted by 13 IITs to develop as model villages.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been engaged as the executing agency for rural sanitation programme and to develop Jharkhand as a model State at an estimated cost of Rs. 127 Crore. 

Objectives of the project

• Help sustain the village open defecation free status.
• Abate direct discharge of untreated liquid wastewater from such villages into river Ganga
• Develop proper solid waste disposal facilities in order to avoid any pollution to river Ganga
• Renovation of ponds and water resources
• Facilitate adequate infrastructure for crematoria
• Water conservation projects, organic farming, horticulture, and promotion of medicinal plants.
• Promotion of tourism
• Coordination between various Central and State Governments sponsored schemes and their implementation on priority in Ganga Grams.
  
  

  Namami Gange Programme: Namami Gange Programme under Ministry of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in June 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga. There are 8 main pillars of Namami Ganga Programme Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure  River-Front Development River-Surface Cleaning Bio-Diversity Afforestation Public Awareness Industrial Effluent Monitoring Ganga Gram Salient features of "Namami Gange" programme Will cover 8 states, 47 towns & 12 rivers under the project. Over 1,632-gram panchayats on the banks of Ganga to be made open defecation-free by 2022. Several ministries are working with nodal Water Resources Ministry for this project includes - Environment, Urban Development, Shipping, Tourism and Rural Development Ministries. Prime focus will be on involving people living on the river's banks in this project. Under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) & State Program Management Groups (SPMGs), States and Urban Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj institutions will be involved in this project. Setting river-centric urban planning process to facilitate better citizen connects, through interventions at ghats and riverfronts. Expansion of coverage of sewerage infrastructure in 118 urban habitations on banks of Ganga. Development of rational agricultural practices & efficient irrigation methods. Ganga Knowledge Centre.

Significance

• Ganga Gram project is crucial in realising the goals of National Mission for Clean Ganga.
• The project highlights the importance of collaboration between people and the government agencies to work hand in hand for clean and pollution free Ganga.
• The overall significance of project lies in protection, preservation and rejuvenation of Ganga river ecosystems which has physical, historical, traditional and spiritual importance in India.