Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has said that Surface cleaning of Ganga will start next month in 10 major cities (Haridwar, Garhmukteshwar, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Sahibganj, Kolkata, Nabadwip and Gangasagar) under Namami Gange programme. Stating this in the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to her Ministry, the Minister said trial for this has already begun in Varanasi which has been assigned to Tata Projects Ltd. under corporate social responsibility scheme. The Minister said NTPC, ONGC, and Petronet have expressed their willingness to fund the project. Referring to the progress of sewage treatment under Namami Gange, the Minister informed that so far 29 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs. 463.58 crore with the treatment capacity of 123 mld and sewer network of 666.69 km. She said a total of 93 projects have been sanctioned at the cost of Rs. 1502.66 crore. This will result in the creation of treatment capacity of 858 mld and sewer network of 3623.10 km. 

Referring to the progress of River Front/Ghat Development projects the Minister informed that development of four ghats out of 20 in Patna has been completed last month. The river front development at Patna has been taken up at cost of Rs. 243.27 crore and will be over by 2017-18. She said work at Chandighat (Haridwar), Chhath Ghat (Delhi) and Sahibganj will begin next month. The Minister said DPRs for Kedarnath, Allahabad, Kanpur, Kolkata and Rishikesh are under preparation.