Union minister Amit Shah promises to put Gangasagar on international tourist map

Gangasagar, Feb 18: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday said that he has full faith that the BJP will form the goverment in West Bengal after the upcoming assembly polls and when it does, the Gangasagar Mela will be made part of the international tourist circuit.

The 'Namami Gange' programme for cleaning River Ganga will also be ensured in the state, the Union minister said. Shah said, he feels sad about the facilities here since lakhs of pilgrims visit the site annually, and when the BJP comes to power in Bengal, all tourism projects of the Central government will be successfully implemented.

"We will ensure that the Uttarayan Mela (Gangasagar Mela) becomes part of the international tourist circuit...this place becomes a big tourist spot, and its fame spreads across the world," he said after offering obeisance at the Kapil Muni temple.

The Kapil Muni temple at the confluence of River Ganga and the Bay of Bengal is a mark of spirituality and conservation of environment, Shah said. The 'Namami Gange' programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 has been working for conservation and cleaning of River Ganga from Gangotri to Sagar, but it "gets stuck" on reaching West Bengal, the minister said.

"I have full faith that a BJP government will be formed in the state and then the purification of River Ganga through the Namami Gange project will be taken up till Gangasagar," he said.

'Namami Gange Programme' is an integrated conservation mission, approved as 'flagship programme' by the Union government in June 2014, to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga.