i C.R. Patil, chaired a review meeting to assess the progress of the Wildlife Institute of India’s livelihood-focused project JALAJ. The Jalaj program under the aegis of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), is a significant component of the Government’s Arth Ganga vision — linking people to rivers through sustainable economic activities. Along with livelihood focus, the project aims at creating societal awareness towards aquatic biodiversity conservation.
Highlighting its pivotal role, the Union Minister emphasized that along with conservation, JALAJ aims at creating economic opportunities and enhancing community participation in river rejuvenation efforts. Jalaj has successfully connected river conservation with livelihood generation by promoting eco-tourism, sustainable farming, skill development, and artisanal production across the Ganga basin. The initiative aims at establish 75 Jalaj centers, with various models such as Dolphin Safaris, Homestays, Livelihood Centers, and Awareness & Sale Points etc. Jalaj has empowered over 5,000 members of the boating community and supported more than 2,400 women in 42 districts across nine states.
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