‘Ganga Bhog – Gangotri Se Ganga Sagar Tak’ Initiative To Promote Awareness On Millet Farming In Rishikesh

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has partnered with the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organisation (HESCO) to launch an initiative called ‘Ganga Bhog – Gangotri Se Ganga Sagar Tak’ in Rishikesh. The project aims to promote livelihood generation among locals and is part of the ‘Arth Ganga’ concept of the Namami Gange Programme. The initiative, which was launched on Earth Day (22 April), centres around the ‘5 Ms’: maa (mother), mandir (temple), mitti (land), women, and mota-anaj (millets).

The ‘Ganga Bhog’ initiative involves the cultivation of millet by local women on the fertile soil of the Ganga river bank. The millet is then offered as prasad (offering) to temples located by the river. The project aims to promote the well-being of local women who cultivate millet and facilitates the preparation of nutritious bhog (a community meal or offering) at temples. The initiative is also aimed at promoting organic farming of millet in the Ganga basin under the Arth Ganga model in the future.

The initiative was launched virtually at 61 places across India, including in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The press release for the initiative stated that it “aims to develop a rural entrepreneur’s network, establish a brand, and have a global market for these products”. The initiative was launched in line with the United Nations General Assembly’s designation of 2023 as the ‘International Year of Millets’.

Speaking at the event, G. Asok Kumar, director general of NMCG, expressed his delight that the Arth Ganga initiative was being inaugurated on Earth Day. He also informed that the Namami Gange programme has been recognised by the United Nations as one of the top 10 flagship restoration programmes in the world for its efforts to implement the three principles of ‘Stopping Environmental Degradation, Reversing the Degradation Cycle, and Public Participation’.

The Namami Gange programme was launched by the government in 2014 with the aim of cleaning and rejuvenating the Ganga River. Under the programme, the government has taken several initiatives to clean the river and promote sustainable economic development in the region.

The Arth Ganga model is one such initiative that focuses on promoting organic farming of millet in the Ganga basin. Through the initiative, the NMCG hopes to develop a rural entrepreneur’s network and establish a brand with a global market for millet products. The ‘Ganga Bhog’ initiative is a step towards achieving this goal and promoting the well-being of local communities.

Source-The Print

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