Ganga River Resources and the Flow and Non-flow related Livelihood: A case study Uttar Pradesh in India

Volume 3 - Issue 5

Panta Murali Prasad*

Received: September 17, 2019;   Published: September 26, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/OAJESS.2019.02.000174

Full Text PDF

To view the Full Article   Peer-reviewed Article PDF

Abstract

Ganga river provides ecological (Biodiversity), social (Gangatva) and economic value (Livelihood) to the people of India. Economic agents exploit the river resources for their livelihood beyond natural regenerative and assimilative capacities. The State provided subsidies further motivate the agents to enhance their efforts to exploit the river resources for creation and accumulation of wealth. As a result, extinction of resources at a few stretches of the river in the State of Uttar Pradesh. The paper focuses on use values of flow (Ferry and Tourism) and non-flow (Riverbed Farming) livelihood in the State. Preliminary analysis of the study indicates that 80 Ghats at Varanasi consists of 193 boats have generated value of Rs. 55.26 million in eight months (i.e., October to May, 2010-11). Similarly, Pilgrims 170.30 million were visited at Mega Pilgrimage Sites (MPSs) namely Allahabad, Varanasi and Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh (UP) have generated a revenue Rs. 7,11,448.54 million during 2006-2010; and 286.25 bighas of Riverbed Farming generated profits of Rs. 5.9 million for 89 households in five villages of Kanpur District in 2010-2011. The inferences drawn based on the empirical study will be used to rationalize the advocacy to the economic agents to adopt judicious use of the gifted nature for Sustainable River related Livelihood.

Keywords: River resources; Livelihood; Riverbed farming; Ferry services; Tourism

Abstract| Introduction| Livelihoods an Overview| Livelihood Wise Analysis: Ferry Services, Tourism and Riverbed Farming| Conclusion| Acknowledgements| References|