6-Nov-2018: Pilot Ganga Grams will be the role model for village cleanliness

Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ms. Uma Bharati has said that maintaining sustainable behavior towards better sanitation is everyone’s responsibility. She was speaking in Ganga Gram Swachhata Sammelan at Chyavan Rishi Ashram in Chousa Village of Buxar district in Bihar yesterday. About four thousands Swachhagrahis, Ganga volunteers, youth organization members, students, women groups and people from all walks of life attended the Sammelan.

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, Ground Water Recharge, modern crematorium, tree plantation, organic and medicinal plants. After declaration of all 4465 Ganga Bank villages as ODF, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is working in the direction of sustaining the ODF status of this area. In this regard, Ms. Uma Bharati appreciated the efforts made by district team, Panchayat representatives towards making Buxar district ODF. She underlined that India has shown to the world the commitment of the Government and achieved national sanitation coverage from a lowly 39 per cent to over 95 per cent. She urged people to participate in SLWM activities, not to litter around and pollute water sources, take care of their waste management and promote organic farming.

Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is organizing a series of Ganga Gram Swachhata Sammelan during this month.

23-Dec-2017: Government launches Ganga Gram project at Ganga Gram Swachhta Sammelan.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation held a multi-stakeholder meet at New Delhi to formally launch the Ganga Gram Project under the Namami Gange Programme, for holistic sanitation development in villages on the banks of River Ganga.

In August 2017, with active cooperation with the five Ganga States (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal), the Ministry declared all 4,470 Ganga Grams Open Defecation Free (ODF). The Ministry is the nodal Ministry for the Government’s flagship programme, Swachh Bharat Mission. Since the launch of Mission in October 2014, the Ministry has constructed 5.2 crore toilets and has made 2.95 lakh villages, 260 districts, 6 States and 2 Union Territories, open defecation free.

Subsequent to making all Ganga Bank villages ODF, the Ministry and State Governments identified 24 villages to be taken up as a pilot project to transform them into Ganga Grams. They will set the bench mark of cleanliness and integrated effort of development. These will be converted into Ganga Grams by 31st December 2018.

Ganga Gram vision is an integrated approach for holistic development of villages situated on the banks of River Ganga with active participation of the villagers. The objectives of Ganga Gram Project include solid and liquid waste management, renovation of ponds and water resources, water conservation projects, organic farming, horticulture, and promotion of medicinal plants.

An Advisory Board has been created as a policy framing and decision-making body under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister for Drinking Water and sanitation. Another Committee has been constituted as Project Committee for project supervision, implementation and co-ordination.

Ganga Swachhata Manch, a forum of individuals, academicians, civil society organisations and the like, which has been formed upon the initiative of Hon’ble Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation was launched. This Manch has been created for awareness creation, knowledge sharing, learning and advocacy for the Ganga Gram Project.