The 20th Meeting (Part II) of the Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) on river rejuvenation, chaired by Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, reviewed the progress of 15 states in river rejuvenation efforts. The meeting, attended by senior officials including Shri. Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Shri. Karan Singh, Joint Secretary, NRCD, and representatives from state governments and Pollution Control Boards, emphasized the ecological, social, and economic necessity of river rejuvenation. Key areas of focus included advancing floodplain zone management, completing sewage and solid waste management projects, enforcing compliance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs), and adopting innovative measures for treated wastewater reuse.
The Committee acknowledged positive trends, including a reduction in polluted river stretches between 2018 and 2022, with Sikkim reporting no polluted river stretches. Assam and Punjab were recognized for floodplain demarcation and encroachment removal. Odisha's treated wastewater reuse, groundwater regulation, and stormwater management initiatives were commended. Punjab's commissioning of treated wastewater utilization projects and floodplain zone notification for the Satluj River were also noted. Maharashtra reported large-scale treated sewage recycling mandates for infrastructure projects, while Meghalaya and Mizoram demonstrated progress in solid waste management under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0. Sikkim was praised for comprehensive waste management practices, including waste segregation, composting, and zero liquid discharge adoption by industries.
The Committee also addressed persistent gaps in sewage treatment capacity, non-compliant STPs, and inadequate industrial pollution management progress. Secretary Mukherjee urged regular River Rejuvenation Committee meetings to maintain accountability and progress monitoring. The meeting concluded with a call for collective responsibility to achieve a pollution-free and resilient river ecosystem.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The Indian government ministry responsible for water resources.
Central Monitoring Committee CMC: Committee overseeing river rejuvenation efforts.
Debashree Mukherjee: Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD GR), chairing the meeting.
National Mission for Clean Ganga NMCG: Indian government initiative for Ganga river rejuvenation.
Namami Gange Mission: Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission
Sikkim: A state in India, noted for having no polluted river stretches according to the CPCB assessment.
Satluj: A river in Punjab, India; floodplain zones are being notified.
Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0: A country-wide campaign in India for the period 2014 to 2025 that aims to clean up the streets, roads and infrastructure of cities, smaller towns, and rural areas
Ministry of Jal Shakti
20th Central Monitoring Committee Meeting Reviews
Progress of 15 States on River Rejuvenation
Posted On: 19 AUG 2025 9:22PM by PIB Delhi
The 20th Meeting (Part-II) of the Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) on river rejuvenation was held today under
the chairpersonship of Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR. The meeting was attended by senior
officials including Shri. Rajeev Kumar Mital Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG);
Shri. Karan Singh, Joint Secretary, NRCD; Executive Director of Namami Gange Mission and representatives of
State Governments and Pollution Control Boards. The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of river
rejuvenation efforts across 15 states.
The chair underlined that rejuvenation of rivers is not only an ecological priority but also a social and
economic necessity. Secretary Smt. Debashree Mukherjee stressed the urgency of advancing
floodplain zone, completing ongoing sewage and solid waste management projects, enforcing
compliance of sewage treatment plants (STPs) and common effluent treatment plants (CETPs), and
adopting innovative measures for reuse of treated wastewater. She emphasized that the efforts of
all states must be solutions-oriented and aimed at sustainable interventions to improve river water
quality and ecosystem health.
The Committee noted encouraging trends with the reduction of polluted river stretches in several states
between 2018 and 2022, with Sikkim emerging as a state with no polluted river stretches in the latest CPCB
assessment. Progress was also highlighted in states such as Assam and Punjab, which have initiated steps fordemarcation of floodplains and removal of encroachments, thereby addressing one of the critical challenges of
river rejuvenation. In Odisha, the reuse of treated wastewater, groundwater regulation measures, and flood
management initiatives such as the diversion of stormwater from Chandaka catchment in Bhubaneswar were
appreciated. Punjab’s efforts in commissioning projects for the utilization of treated wastewater and its
notification of floodplain zones for the river Satluj were also noted as significant achievements. Maharashtra
reported measures for large-scale recycling of treated sewage, particularly mandating reuse in infrastructure
projects, while Meghalaya and Mizoram showcased progress under Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 in
strengthening solid waste management systems. Sikkim was commended for its comprehensive approach
towards waste segregation, composting, and adoption of zero liquid discharge by industries.
At the same time, the Committee highlighted the need to address persistent gaps in sewage treatment capacity,
non-complying sewage treatment plants, and inadequate progress in certain industrial pollution management
projects. The Secretary urged to convene regular meetings of River Rejuvenation Committees to maintain
accountability and consistent progress monitoring.The meeting concluded with a call for collective
responsibility by all participating states to work towards achieving the vision of a pollution-free and resilient
river ecosystem.
***************
MAM/SMP/NM
(Release ID: 2158176)