CM inaugurates and lays the foundation stone of 29 development projects worth Rs. 54.71crore

Chandigarh – Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the International Saraswati Mahotsav-2025 at Adi Badri, Yamunanagar on wednesday. The Mahotsav will be held from January 29 to February 2, 2025.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 29 development projects worth Rs. 54.71 crore. These include the inauguration of 15 projects worth Rs. 26.71 crore and the foundation stone for 14 projects worth approximately Rs. 28 crore.   

While speaking on the occasion, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the International Saraswati Mahotsav is being inaugurated at Adi Badri, the original place of the Saraswati River. The Mahotsav aims to draw global attention to India’s rich civilization and preserve our culture and traditions for future generations. 

He said that according to the Mahabharata, the Saraswati River originally emerged from Adi Badri, located below the Shivalik Hills. It once flowed through Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat for approximately 1,600 kilometers before merging into the Arabian Sea. However, over time, the river disappeared. 

Efforts to revive the Saraswati River

The Chief Minister said that recognising the importance of the Saraswati River, Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi initiated the efforts to revive it by linking it with Narmada and Sabarmati rivers when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Similarly, efforts are being made by the Haryana Government to revive Saraswati river by connecting rivers, constructing Saraswati Sarovars and reservoirs. Out of 633 archaeological sites mentioned along the Saraswati River’s path, 444 are in Haryana alone. The Survey of India and Haryana’s revenue records provide clear evidence of the river’s historical existence.Therefore our government has taken up the task to revive the river.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that when the BJP government came to power in 2014, they took a major step toward restoring the river by establishing the Haryana Sarasvati Heritage Development Board in 2015. Scientific research has confirmed that traces of the Saraswati still exist in the Adi Badri and Ghaggar regions. Based on this research, a plan has been developed to bring the river back to the surface. As part of this initiative, 18 bridges have been built over the Saraswati River in Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar. Besides this, 111 heritage sites, including temples and river ghats, have been restored. A pipeline has also been laid to channel water from the Som River into the Saraswati Sarovar at Adi Badri. 

Agreement with Himachal Pradesh for perennial flow of water in Saraswati river

The Chief Minister said that the Haryana government has signed an agreement with Himachal Pradesh to ensure a perennial flow of water in the Saraswati River. Under this agreement, a dam is being built on the Som River, along with the construction of the Som-Saraswati Barrage and a reservoir. Apart from this, efforts are also being made to channel rainwater into the river in the catchment area of Saraswati river. To protect the purity of the Saraswati river, 25 liquid waste management projects have been set up in Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra and Kaithal for sewage treatment.

On this occasion, Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, Cabinet Ministers, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana and Sh. Krishan Kumar Bedi announced a grant of Rs 11 lakh each to Adi Badri Gaushala.

During the Mahotsav, the Chief Minister also planted saplings. Cultural programmes were presented by children and a painting competition on Maa Saraswati was organised.

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, Social Justice, Empowerment, SCs & BCs Welfare and Antyodaya (SEWA) Minister, Sh. Krishan Kumar Bedi also expressed their views during the Mahotsav. Vice Chairman, Haryana Saraswati Heritage Board, Sh. Dhuman Singh Kirmach also remained present.