Gadkari asks President Kovind to donate one month’s salary for Clean Ganga Fund
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday that he had written to President Ram Nath Kovind requesting him to donate a month's salary to the Clean Ganga Fund (CGF), set up by the government to purge the river of pollutants.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Gadkari said he would also urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ministers, MPs, MLAs and the public to donate their month's salary to the CGF, formed to receive voluntary contributions from individuals and organizations.
The government has received Rs 250 crore in the CGF after it was approved by the Union Cabinet in September 2014, he said.
"I have written a letter to the President. I am also urging the Prime Minister, Ministers, MPs, MLAs and the people to donate to the CGF, he told reporters.
Gadkari said everyone must join the cause, sharing whatever amount they can through digital transfer.
"Some
have
donated
Rs
300
to
the
CGF.
People
can
share
whatever
amount
they
wish
to,"
he
said.
Gadkari
emphasized
there
was
no
shortage
of
fund
for
the
Namami
Gange
programme,
which
has
a
non-lapsable
provision
of
Rs
20,000
crore.
He added that the government had already signed MoUs with corporate houses in connection with works such as constructing ghats and roads, starting light and sound show, developing parking spaces and other purposes.
Contributions to the Clean Ganga Fund are completely exempted from tax.