Lucknow, Jan 23 (IANS): Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday flagged off two 'Ganga Raths' on Thursday as a precursor to his five-day 'Ganga Yatra' that begins on January 27.

While one Ganga Rath will go to Bijnor from where the Ganga enters Uttar Pradesh, the other Rath will go to Ballia from where the holy river exits.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the Ganga was not only a symbol of faith but also a symbol of our economy.

"The Ganga campaign will give a definite boost to economy and help agriculture," he said.

The Chief Minister will embark on his Ganga Yatra from Bijnor and will travel through Muzaffarnagar to Hastinapur.

The following day, he will travel from Hastinapur to Hapur to Garh Mukteshwar to Amroha and then Bulandshahr. On January 29, the Yatra will go to Aligarh, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur and will reach Farukkhabad in the evening.

The following day, the Yatra will travel to Kanpur through Kannauj and Hardoi.

The other Yatra will travel to Ghazipur, Prayagraj, Mirzapur, Pratapgarh, Unnao and culminate in Kanpur.

A government spokesman said the Ganga Yatra will cover 27 districts, 1,038 village panchayats and cover 1,358 km.

Meanwhile, in a video conference on Wednesday, the Chief Minister directed district magistrates and police chiefs to prepare a work plan for the yatra.

The Chief Minister also asked the officers to ensure that waste was not released into the river. He told them to organise an awareness programme for organic farming, plantation, sports, animal husbandry and environment protection in the villages. The use of plastic will be prohibited.

The government spokesman said, "Besides participating in Ganga 'aarti', the Chief Minister will address a public meeting. He will also visit the villages near the Ganga to review development projects. The Chief Minister is likely to make a night halt at Hastinapur."