New Delhi (27.04.2023): In yet another novel initiative under Arth Ganga concept of Namami Gange, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with HESCO launched ‘Ganga Bhog – Gangotri Se Ganga Sagar Tak’ in Rishikesh on April 22, 2023 -- the Earth day.
At the core of the initiative is ‘5 ‘M’-- Mother (Ganga), Mandir, Mitti, Mahila, and Mota-Anaj (Millets). The idea is that Millet produced in fertile soil (Mitti) on the Ganga banks by local women (Mahila) are offered as Prasad Bhog to temples (Mandir) on the banks of Maa Ganga. This has been conceived in the wake of not so healthy Prasad offerings in the Ganga Basin in the form of rice, batashas and sugar balls usually brought from urban areas, many times from outside the Ganga basin.
The initiative gives impetus to the livelihood of local women cultivating Millet and facilitates healthy hand-made Bhog offerings for Maa Ganga (Vocal for Local). This is also in line with United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declaration of 2023 as ‘International Year of Millets’ (IYM). The Prime Minister has called for a mass movement in the country to promote Millets.
The initiative was launched in Rishikesh in the presence of G Asok Kumar, Director General, NMCG, Anil Joshi, Founder, HESCO, Ashok Kumar, Director General of Police, Uttarakhand, and Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Parmarth Niketan. Temple committees, priests, local NGOs etc were also part of the launch. The ceremony was also virtually organised at 61 locations spanning Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Addressing the gathering, G Asok Kumar (IAS: 1991: TG), DG, NMCG apprised the audience about the UN recognition to Namami Gange Programme as one of the top 10 flagship restoration programs in the world, for its efforts for the 3 principles of ‘Stopping the Environmental Degradation, Reversing the Degradation Cycle’ and ‘Public Participation’. He said that whereas it took several years to clean rivers like the Danube and Thames, considerable success has been achieved in the Ganga Rejuvenation in 8-9 years under the Namami Gange programme. This is corroborated by the increasing sightings of Gangetic Dolphins and other aquatic species in the river. “From around 300-350 a few years back, the population of Dolphins is now over 3300 and there is evidence of their breeding in important stretches on River Ganga,” he said, adding, “This information helped local communities to understand the importance of this project for the wildlife and environment.”
He said that the Prime Minister espoused the concept of Arth Ganga and NMCG is working on its six verticals a) Arth Ganga are Zero Budget Natural Farming generating “More net Income, Per Drop'', ‘Gobar Dhan’ for Log in farmers, b) Monetization and Reuse of Sludge & Wastewater, c) Livelihood Opportunities, d) Public Participation, e) Cultural Heritage & Tourism and f) Institutional Building. Jalaj was inaugurated on 16 August 2021which provides livelihood to people linked with Ganga.
