New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday announced an integrated Ganga development project with a budget of Rs.2,037 crore.
The project will be called Namami Ganga, Jaitley announced in his maiden budget.
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He announced that a NRI fund for conservation of river Ganga will be set up.
“#FM announces Namami Ganga, an integrated Ganga Development Project; Rs.2037 cr set aside for this,” tweeted PIB.
Another tweet said: “#FM: NRI fund for conservation of river Ganga to be set up.”
Ganga, a 2,525-km river which flows from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal and is considered holy by majority of the Hindus, has been on top of the National Democratic Alliance government’s agenda.
The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also said that a project for ghat development and beautification of river front would be initiated.
“Our river fronts and ghats are not only of rich cultural heritage but many of these are also sacred. I propose to set up Rs.100 crore for ghat development and beautification of the river front in Kedarnath, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Delhi,” said Jaitley while tabling the general budget in parliament.