Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will flag off the five-day Ganga Yatra on January 27.

The Ganga Yatra, being taken out by the state government, will cover 1,025 kilometres of the river’s course through 26 districts.

“The Ganga Yatra aims to promote continuous flow of the river, its purity and cleanliness and boost economic activities by connecting with ‘Arth Ganga’ campaign. The Ganga is not only a symbol of faith but also aids the country’s development and prosperity,” Yogi had recently said while reviewing the progress of Namami Gange project for cleaning river Ganga.

Departments that have a prominent role in the campaign are Urban Development, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Home, Transport, Horticulture, Agriculture, Forest and Environment, Information, Tourism, Culture, Education and Health. Jal Shakti department is the nodal department for the Ganga Yatra.

During the yatra, various departments will sensitise people living on the riverbanks on how to keep the Ganga clean — pollution-free, polythene-free — and let it flow unhindered.

One of the Ganga Yatras would start from Bijnor and end at Kanpur, while the other would start from Ballia and culminate at Kanpur.

Several Union and state ministers and lawmakers (MPs, MLAs and MLCs) will participate in the campaign.

Some sources claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to be present on the concluding day.

Yogi had earlier said, “UP will be the first state to take out this kind of Ganga Yatra. We will carry out the works so well that it becomes an inspiration to all states through which the Ganga flows. Also, we will make a plan for creating a multi-modal terminal between Haldia (West Bengal) and Varanasi for commerce and economics.”

While the government has dubbed it as a Ganga awareness programme, it would also be an outreach to mark Yogi’s third year in office and witness both UP and Union ministers holding interactions with people and highlighting the achievements of the state government.