The Indian government's Namami Gange Programme (NGP), initiated in 2014-15 to rejuvenate the Ganga River and its tributaries, has been extended to March 2026. The program's total budgetary allocation from FY 2014-15 to FY 2025-26 is ₹26,824.86 crore, including ₹3,400 crore allocated for FY 2025-26. As of July 2025, 502 projects have been sanctioned, with 323 completed.
A 2022 assessment of Priority River Stretches (PRSs) based on 2019 and 2021 data indicates varying levels of pollution: Uttar Pradesh (Farrukhabad to Allahabad, Mirzapur to Ghazipur) is classified as Priority Class V (BOD 3-6 mg/L), Bihar (Buxar, Patna, Fatwah, Bhagalpur) as Priority Class IV (BOD 6-10 mg/L), and West Bengal (Behrampur to Haldia) as Priority Class IV (BOD 6-10 mg/L). Uttarakhand and Jharkhand do not fall under polluted stretches. Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels are within acceptable limits for bathing water quality, supporting the river's ecosystem along its length.
Inspections of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) have led to a reduction in BOD load from 26 tons per day (TPD) in 2017 to 13.73 TPD in 2023, and a decrease in effluent discharge from 349 MLD in 2017 to 249.31 MLD in 2023. Biomonitoring in 2024-25 at 50 locations indicates Biological Water Quality (BWQ) ranging from Good to Moderate. The dolphin population in the Ganga has increased from an estimated 2,500-3,000 in 2009 to approximately 6,327 in 2021-2023. Dolphin presence has been confirmed in 17 tributaries where they were previously unrecorded. The United Nations has recognized Namami Gange as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Raj Bhushan Choudhary, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha. (Release ID: 2150722)
Key Entities Referenced
Namami Gange Programme: Flagship program launched by the Government of India in 2014-15 for the rejuvenation of the river Ganga and its tributaries.
River Ganga: A major river in India, the focus of the Namami Gange Programme for rejuvenation and pollution control.
National Mission for Clean Ganga: The implementing agency for the Namami Gange Programme, responsible for improving the health of the river Ganga and its tributaries.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The Indian government ministry responsible for water resources, including the Namami Gange Programme.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India where stretches of the Ganga river are identified as Priority Class V polluted stretches.
Bihar: A state in India where stretches of the Ganga river are identified as Priority Class IV polluted stretches.
West Bengal: A state in India where stretches of the Ganga river are identified as Priority Class IV polluted stretches.
United Nations: International organization that recognized Namami Gange initiative as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS UNDER NMCG
Posted On: 31 JUL 2025 4:20PM by PIB Delhi
The Government of India (GoI) launched the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) in 2014-15 for the
rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries for five years, up to March 2021 and has been further extended
to March 2026.
The budgetary allocation [Revised/Final Estimates (RE)] for the Namami Gange Programme from financial
year (FY) 2014-15 to FY 2024-25 was ₹ 23,424.86 crore. The Budget Estimates (BE) for FY 2025-26 are ₹
3,400 crore. Thus, the total budgetary allocation for the Namami Gange Programme since inception up to FY
2025-26 is ₹ 26,824.86 crore.
Cleaning of river is a continuous process and Government of India is supplementing the efforts of the State
Governments in addressing the challenges of pollution in river Ganga and its tributaries by providing
financial and technical assistance under Namami Gange Programme. Under this programme, a
comprehensive set of interventions such as wastewater treatment, solid waste management, river front
management (ghats and crematoria development), e-flow, afforestation, biodiversity conservation and Public
Participation etc. have been taken up for rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries.
A total of 502 projects have been sanctioned under the Namami Gange Programme for the rejuvenation of
the River Ganga and its tributaries. Out of these, 323 projects have been completed.
The achievements of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for improving the health of the river Ganga
and its tributaries are as under:
i. As per the report, the Priority River Stretches (PRSs) on the river Ganga, based on the assessment carried
out in 2022 (using 2019 and 2021 data), are as under:
a. Uttarakhand does not fall under polluted stretches (BOD < 3 mg/l);
b. In Uttar Pradesh, stretches from Farrukhabad to Allahabad and Mirzapur to Ghazipur fall under
Priority Class V (BOD 3–6 mg/l);
c. In Bihar, stretches along Buxar, Patna, Fatwah, and Bhagalpur fall under Priority Class IV (BOD
6–10 mg/l);
d. Jharkhand does not fall under polluted stretches (BOD < 3 mg/l);
e. In West Bengal, the stretch from Behrampur to Haldia falls under Priority Class IV (BOD 6–10
mg/l).
Further, the value of Dissolved Oxygen (DO), which is an indicator of river health, has been found to be
within the acceptable limits of the notified primary bathing water quality criteria and is satisfactory to
support the ecosystem of the river along almost the entire stretch of the river Ganga.
ii. Reduction in pollution load of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs): Annual inspection of GPIs
through third party technical institutes like IITs and reputed engineering colleges started in 2017. This
has resulted in reduction in BOD load from 26 tons per day (TPD) in 2017 to 13.73 TPD in 2023, and
about 28.6 % reduction in effluent discharge from 349 MLD in 2017 to 249.31 MLD in 2023.
iii. As per the biomonitoring conducted during 2024–25 at 50 locations along River Ganga and its
tributaries, the Biological Water Quality (BWQ) predominantly ranged from ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’.
iv. Further, the population of Dolphins in the river Ganga has shown a marked increase over the past
decade. From an estimated baseline of 2,500–3,000 individuals in 2009, the population rose to
approximately 3,500 in 2015 and further to around 6,327 individuals as per the nationwide survey
conducted during 2021–2023. This represents more than a twofold increase since 2009. In the Gangabasin, the 2021–2023 assessment across 17 tributaries confirmed dolphin presence in multiple rivers
where they were previously unrecorded, such as the Rupnarayan, Girwa, Kauriyala, Babai, Rapti,
Bagmati, Mahananda, Ken, Betwa, and Sind.
v. The United Nations (UN) has recognized Namami Gange initiative to rejuvenate India’s sacred River
Ganga as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships to revive the natural world. The Award was
received by NMCG at a function in the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the Convention on
Biodiversity (CBD) in Montreal, Canada on 14th December 2022, the World Restoration Day.
This information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN
CHOUDHARY in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
MAM/SMP
(Lok Sabha US Q2068)
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(Release ID: 2150722)