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The Union Minister said that the historic River Devika project will be completed by June 2022.

River Devika project

• The project being built at the cost of over Rs 190 crore is said to be North India’s first river rejuvenation project and will offer a unique destination both for pilgrims and recreation tourists.
• The project includes the construction of three sewage treatment plants, a sewerage network of 129.27 km, the development of two cremation ghats, protection fencing and landscaping, small hydropower plants and three solar power plants.
• The construction of the project started in 2019 under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).
• The completion of the project will result in the reduction of pollution and improvement in water quality.

Devika River

• Devika river holds great religious significance as it is revered as the sister of Ganga.
• Devika, a small rivulet flows through Udhampur in Jammu & Kashmir.
• The river originates near Sudhmahadev and it merges with Suryaputri Tawi at Venisung and this confluence is a place of worship.
• The river again appears near Gangera in Udhampur. 
• As it appears and disappears in many places, Devika is also known as Gupt Ganga.