Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the ‘Digital Dashboard for District Ganga Committees (DGCs) Performance Monitoring System’ (GDPMS) today in the august presence of Shri Swatantra Dev Singh, Cabinet Minister for Jal Shakti, Uttar Pradesh, who joined virtually. Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) Shri G. Asok Kumar was also present on the occasion. The meeting was also attended virtually by the representatives of over 100 District Ganga Committees from across the Ganga Basin.

Addressing the gathering after the launching the dashboard, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat began by talking about the 4P principle – political will, public spending, partnership and people’s participation to make a programme successful. The Prime Minister has emphasized on a number of occasions the importance of people’s participation in making Namami Gange a success, he said. 

Shri Shekhawat said that a lot of work has been done in sewerage management, ghat development, biodiversity, afforestation, spring rejuvenation, wetland conservation and the involvement of voluntary organisations like Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Ganga Praharis etc. has been inspiring. But, still there is a long way to go and efforts should also be made to sustain the work which has been done.

The Union Minister further said that it is the responsibility of the DGCs in partnership with various organisations to instill a sense of ownership and duty in the people to make Ganga Aviral and Nirmal. “It is DGCs responsibility to make sure that assets created are properly used and functioning, no untreated water/solid waste goes into Ganga, proper monitoring, afforestation to mitigate the effects of climate change, protection of biodiversity and wetlands etc.,” He added.

Shri Shekhawat stated that the Digital Dashboard launched today will help the DGCs in enhancing people-river connect. Pointing out that some DGCs are not conducting regular meeting, he urged the District Magistrates to make sure that Ganga cleaning becomes a priority and under the chairmanship of District Magistrates cleanliness in River Ganga is ensured.

The Union Minister added that cleaning of Ganga means cleaning of all its tributaries and it is important that the district officials take ownership of the assets created under Namami Gange Programme in the Ganga Basin and ensure their smooth functioning.

The Minister emphasized on the DGC 4Ms and said that it is essential that the monthly meetings are organised at the stipulated time (2nd Friday of every month). He also talked about performance analysis of the DGCs based on various parameters, including the monthly meetings and acknowledge the ones doing a good job to generate competitiveness. 

Talking about Arth Ganga, the Union Minister said that it is Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision to use the globally known brand of Ganga to develop a sustainable economic model around the River to benefit the local people. “Economic activities like tourist circuits, yoga, AKAM, architecture, biodiversity etc. must be developed along River Ganga,” he said, adding, “Ganga Yatra is another activity that the Prime Minister emphasized upon and I am happy that the State of Uttar Pradesh conducted the Yatra.”   

Shri Swatantra Dev Singh said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, work is being done with renewed vigor and approach, which is bringing smiles on the faces of the people. He lauded the efforts of Namami Gange and said that DGCs exemplify the success that has been achieved to clean Maa Ganga. He expressed his delight to be part of the launch of DGC Digital Dashboard today and said that such steps send a good message in the people.

Welcoming the Union Minister for Jal Shakti and UP Cabinet Minister for Jal Shakti, DG, NMCG gave an overview of Arth Ganga concept that envisages development of a sustainable economic model around River Ganga and the important role DGCs have to play.

Explaining the concept of the novel experiment to start the District Ganga Committee Forum (DGC-4M (Monthly, Mandated, Monitored and Minuted) meetings, the DG, NMCG urged the District Magistrates to include it in their monthly meeting schedules. He said that agendas for the meetings may be in three groups three-fold – the mandated agenda can be of the NMCG projects in the district, monitoring of the drains which brings in solid and liquid waste, the functioning of ghats and crematoria, promotion of natural/organic farming, wetland development etc. The state and local specific agenda could be the issues like sand mining, local Pujas, biodiversity activities like conservation of Dolphins etc. and seasonal agenda could be water conservation campaigns like Catch the Rain campaign during monsoons, Swachhta Pakhwada, afforestation drives, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav etc. He said that the launch of DGC Digital Dashboard will go a long way in establishing a people-river connect and will play an important role in the success of Namami Gange Programme.

District Ganga Committees were constituted in the districts on the Ganga River basin for putting in place a mechanism at the district level to ensure people’s participation in management and pollution abatement in river Ganga and its tributaries. The DGCs are mandated to ensure proper utilization of assets created under Namami Gange, monitor drains/sewage falling in River Ganga and its tributaries, create strong connect of people with Ganga rejuvenation.       

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BY/AS

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