PATNA, Aug. 24 -- In a bid to revive one of India's most sacred rivers, the Central government has given conditional approval to plans aimed at transforming the Falgu (Niranjana) river into an incessant, year-round flowing stream from its origins in Jharkhand's Chatra district to its confluence with the Ganga. The decision emerged from a high-level inter-ministerial meeting held on Friday in New Delhi, officials of forest department said on Sunday. Chaired by Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, the meeting brought together Union MSME minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, jal shakti minister CR Patil, and Union environment, forest and climate change minister Bhupender Yadav, along with senior officials from the Centre, Bihar and Jharkhand governments, NHAI, and National Mission for Clean Ganga. The initiative builds on the 'Namami Niranjana Falgu Abhiyan' (also referred to as Namami Niranjana Falgu Mission), a grassroots campaign formally advanced in February 2024 at the Mahabodhi Sanskritik Kendra in Gaya. Long driven by local efforts under the leadership of founder-convenor Sanjay Sajjan Singh and backed by Manjhi, the project seeks to revive approximately 300-kilometre river corridor that holds profound religious significance for both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Gadkari affirmed that once Bihar and Jharkhand governments issue necessary NOCs, NHAI will take up first phase of work. This will primarily involve desilting the riverbed, with the excavated earth and silt to be utilised in national highway construction - eliminating royalty costs while restoring the natural flow path toward the Ganga. Officials said Manjhi emphasised the need for holistic development of the entire corridor, including a grand 'parikrama path' from the source near Belgadda/Lawalong in Chatra to the confluence, expected to boost local economies, tourism and employment. A senior officer of the state forest, environment and climate change department said that Patil assured full technical, policy and administrative support through the jal shakti ministry and NMCG for swift implementation. Yadav committed to prioritising forest conservation in the catchment areas, development of green belts, and expedited environmental clearances. Every year, especially during Pitru Paksha, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims perform 'pind daan' and 'tarpan' rituals near the Vishnupad Temple in Gaya to offer homage to departed ancestors. Global Buddhist devotees also visit Bodh Gaya in large numbers. Yet for much of the year, particularly in the scorching summer months, the riverbed turns dry and sandy, with surface water scarce. Much of the flow occurs underground. While water can sometimes be found by digging into the sand, the dry stretches have long hindered rituals and strained local water resources. To address this partially, the Bihar government constructed India's largest rubber dam - popularly known as Gayaji Dam - near the Vishnupad Temple. An Austrian firm Hydro-Construct supplied and installed the rubber membrane system. It was intended to retain water year-round for pilgrims performing rituals, providing a depth of around two to three feet near the temple. Sanjay Sajjan Singh of Namami Niranjana Falgu Abhiyan said the rubber dam ensures water availability at a very small stretch near the temple, but rest of its basin faces dryness owing challenges of siltation and maintenance. "This required the need for a comprehensive rejuvenation approach," Singh said, adding that experts from IIT Roorkee have been tasked to prepare an integrated rejuvenation plan. Officials said that the IIT Roorkee experts made a scientific presentation during the meeting of Union ministers, and stressed a collaborative approach from other institutions to execute the project to restore base flows through multiple interventions. These include scientific groundwater recharge in the catchment areas, construction of check dams, restoration of traditional ahar-pyne (indigenous water harvesting systems), revival of dried water bodies, extensive afforestation and green-belt development, and cleaning of conventional channels. The approach emphasises hydrogeological studies, community participation, natural farming practices to enhance soil carbon, and ecological restoration-aligning with broader goals of the Namami Gange mission....