Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C.R. Patil, chaired a review meeting to assess the progress of Project Jalaj, a key initiative of the Wildlife Institute of India under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Jalaj is central to the government’s Arth Ganga vision, which seeks to connect people to rivers through sustainable livelihood generation and aquatic biodiversity conservation.The minister highlighted Jalaj’s role in promoting eco-tourism, sustainable farming, skill development, and artisan livelihoods. With a goal of establishing 75 Jalaj centres, the initiative operates models such as Dolphin Safaris, Homestays, Livelihood Training Centres, and Awareness and Sale Points. To date, Jalaj has empowered over 5,000 boating community members and supported more than 2,400 women across 42 districts in nine states. The project has conducted 263 training sessions and executed mass awareness campaigns via digital platforms, including a dedicated YouTube channel.To enhance public engagement, Shri C.R. Patil launched:A dedicated Jalaj website with detailed insights on project models, eco-friendly product showcases, and biodiversity awarenessA Jalaj Product Catalogue featuring sustainable goods produced at Jalaj centers—ranging from stationery and apparel to edibles and skincareMinister Patil praised the initiative’s innovative livelihood models and called for their expansion to other river basins such as the Godavari, Periyar, Pampa, and Barak, whose ecological assessments were also reviewed. He reaffirmed Jalaj’s role as a community-river connector, where economic well-being and environmental conservation progress hand in hand.The President of India acknowledged Jalaj during Gaj Utsav 2023, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the initiative during Mann Ki Baat and at ICCON 2023 in Mysore, calling it a model for freshwater ecosystem conservation.By blending conservation goals with economic empowerment, Jalaj exemplifies how sustainable development can be locally driven, inclusive, and ecologically meaningful—fulfilling the Arth Ganga mission of people-centric river rejuvenation.