New Delhi: Water from the holy Ganga is a prerequisite for performing pooja at any Indian Hindu household. People hailing from districts that the river did not pass by would either be deprived of the holy water unless they store it during a past visit to a city on the river’s banks or depend upon the market where one really can’t distinguish the real from the fake.
All that and more could change now. The central government, sensing the huge demand for Ganga water across India, now wants to ensure its delivery right to your doorsteps. The government says it is aimed at addressing “the cultural underpinnings of India", as cabinet minister Ravishankar Prasad put it.
The postal department, which is the largest postal network in the world, would be used to ensure the home delivery of Ganga water from Haridwar and Rishikesh to the people across India.
The government feels there is a huge market for Ganga water in the country and monetising it properly could result in fresh revenues for the potal department. According to Prasad, the details of the new initiative are being finalised and the service could be rolled out soon.
Though the price of bottled Ganga water are yet to be finalised, the government wants to keep it at a minimum considering its religious significance for the Hindus. As per information Ganga water will be made available on the online portal of India Post, which is also in plans to tie-up with other e-commerce companies to utilise their network.
Notably, this will not be the first such move to supply Ganga water to the length and breadth of the country. E-commerce companies such as Amazon are already doing it. A 1-litre bottle of Ganga water from Gomukh, the river’s source, costs Rs 299.
