The celebration of Ganga Utsav 2024 is being organised by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) on November 4 at Chandi Ghat in Haridwar. NMCG commemorates this event every year to mark the anniversary of declaring the Ganga River as the 'National River.' The primary aim of this festival is to promote the conservation of the Ganga River, highlight its cultural and spiritual significance, and raise public awareness about cleanliness. This would be the eighth edition of the event and first one being celebrated on the bank of river. The event will also be celebrated across the Ganga basin states in 139 Districts by District Ganga Committees. Also, each state will have one main event in the state.

The central event of Ganga Utsav is being celebrated with grandeur, led by Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil. The inauguration ceremony is likely to witness the presence of several distinguished personalities, including the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Raj Bhushan Chaudhary, and Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Mrs. Debashree Mukherjee. In addition, several other important guests from Union and State Governments are also likely to attend the event.

The event will also consist of the flag-off ceremony for the upcoming Ganga Women Rafting Expedition in collaboration with BSF. The 50-day long expedition will conclude at Ganga Sagar traversing through 9 major cities & towns across the Ganga river. This historic expedition will coincide with various activities organized across several districts in the five key states of the Ganga basin.

This year’s event would be showcased as a model event for celebration of river and is likely to be attended by several river cities under the aegis of River City Alliance. The alliance has been established comprising of 145 river cities across the country. The main objective of the alliance is to achieve healthy urban rivers by adopting integrated approach of river sensitive urban planning which envisages pollution free and continuously flowing river celebrated by all leading to water secure cities for inclusive and sustainable urban development. This festival will serve as a significant platform to highlight the cultural and spiritual importance of rivers in our society.

During the festival, a session titled "Ganga Samvad" will be organized, featuring discussions among prominent figures, religious and spiritual leaders, and key personalities on various topics. The aim of this samvad is to inspire youth to connect with river conservation and spread awareness. A technical session will also be held where experts will discuss significant issues related to river rejuvenation.

The festival will also include a program called Ghat Par Haat, along with various stalls set up by local departments to showcase the aspects of the Namami Gange initiative. A range of activities will be organized for children to engage them in river conservation, including quizzes, film screenings, magic shows, puppet shows, and drawing and painting competitions. There will also be Nukkad Nataks aimed at raising awareness about river conservation among the youth. A dedicated session will also focus on the cultural journey of rivers and the stories associated with them. The event will include an exhibition on Namami Gange, showcasing various facets of this initiative. Furthermore, a small food festival will also be part of the Ganga Mahotsav celebrations.

'Ganga Utsav 2024' would promote peoples connect with the river and further the cause of conservation of the Ganga River. Additionally, The Ganga River has been a vital center of India's civilization, and through this festival, efforts will be made to deepen the understanding of its heritage and significance. Another key objective of the festival is to raise public awareness about cleanliness, to encourage collective efforts to prevent river pollution and rejuvenate them. The event will assist in restoring the river Ganga to its pristine State and retain the dynamic historic and sacred character of the river.

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DSK