Ganga Action Plan: Phase II approved

New Delhi, Jun 10: The proposal for the second phase for Ganga Action Plan got approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday, Jun 10.

The second phase of Ganga Action Plan at Varanasi, assisted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is the project worth Rs 496.90 crore. The proposal will be under National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) program.

85 percent cost (Rs 427.73 crores) will be taken by central government and the rest, Rs 69.17 crores will be shared by Uttar Pradesh government.

The project will have direct beneficial impact in terms of reduction of pollution load in the river Ganga in the region besides collateral benefits like irrigation by effluents from Sathwa Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), and employment opportunities particularly at the construction stage.

The project will be helpful for the local population and the foreign tourist who visit Varanasi for the spiritual and cultural importance. It will help to improve the aesthetics of the area.

The biogas, methane from STP will be used to generate electricity. This will be a non-conventional energy source, while providing the benefits in terms of reducing green house gas emissions.

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