Water Resources and River Development Minister Uma Bharti vows to clean up Ganga

Water Resource Minister Uma Bharti on Wednesday vowed to clean up river Ganga, one of the key priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has won the election from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

"Efforts will be made to make it clean, as pious as it was in the past with the theme 'aviral Ganga, nirmal Ganga'," she told reporters in New Delhi after taking over as the Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

The government will work out a policy initiative for the rejuvenation of Ganga as well as the cleaning up of other important rivers in the country, 55-year-old Bharti said.

Underlining that all rivers in the country must be pure and clean, she said rivers should be pollution free and people should get clean water for drinking.

To a question on river Yamuna, she said that she would review the status of various rivers projects, including fund allocation, in the next fortnight.

Bharti thanked the Prime Minister for giving her the portfolio. "I am happy that he has put the responsibility of cleaning the Ganga upon me and for sure I will try my best to serve the objective," she said.

BJP leader Santosh Kumar Gangwar also took over as the new Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.