The 62nd Executive Committee Meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was chaired by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director General. The focus of this meeting is on sustainability in river rejuvenation through ecosystem restoration for the Ganga basin. Key points include:
1. **Approval of Projects**: The committee has approved several projects that contribute to conservation efforts such as wetland protection and wastewater reuse plans specific to city requirements.
2. **Focus Areas**:
- Conservation of critical wetlands like Nathmalpur Bhagad Wetland in Bhojpur District, BIhar has been recognized for its management arrangement establishment.
- So far, four other wetland conservation efforts are already sanctioned by the NMCG under Namami Gange program – Kalewada Jheel, Namiya Dah Jheel, Reoti Dah Wetland, and Udhwa Lake Ramsar Site at Sahibganj in Jharkhand.
3. **Capacity Building Initiatives**: The committee approved funding for capacity building initiatives that include the preparation of city-level reuse plans aligned with the National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water (SRTW) developed by NMCG, aimed to make water-sensitive cities especially in Agra and Prayagraj districts in Uttar Pradesh.
4. **Intergrated Water Management**: These strategies signify NMCG’s commitment towards integrated water management which includes not just cleaning efforts but also enhancing the health and sustainability of river ecosystems.
The projects highlighted showcase a multifaceted approach to rejuvenating and managing river ecosystems, highlighting wetland conservation alongside wastewater reuse plans across multiple districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This initiative is recognized globally as one of the top ten world restoration flagship initiatives by UN Decade UNEPFAO.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Jal Shakti: The Indian government ministry responsible for water resources.
NMCG: National Mission for Clean Ganga, an organization under the Ministry of Jal Shakti focused on Ganga rejuvenation.
Ganga: A major river in India, central to the NMCG's mission.
62nd Executive Committee Meeting: A meeting of the NMCG's Executive Committee where projects related to Ganga rejuvenation were approved.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - the agency that published the information.
Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital: DirectorGeneral, NMCG, chair of the meeting.
Namami Gange program: A program focused on cleaning and rejuvenating the Ganga River.
UN Decade UNEPFAO: United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration involving UNEP and FAO.
Conserving and Sustainably Managing NathmalpurBhagad Wetland in Bhojpur District, Bihar: A wetland conservation project approved by the EC.
NathmalpurBhagad: A wetland in Bhojpur District, Bihar.
Bhojpur District, Bihar: Location of the wetland conservation project.
NGP: Acronym for the program under which wetland projects are undertaken. Likely refers to Namami Gange Program.
KalewadaJheel, Muzaffarnagar, UP: A wetland being conserved under Namami Gange program, located in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
Namiya Dah Jheel,Prayagraj, UP: A wetland being conserved under Namami Gange program, located in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Reoti Dah Wetland, Ballia, UP: A wetland being conserved under Namami Gange program, located in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
Udhwa Lake Ramsar Site Sahibganj, Jharkhand: A Ramsar site wetland being conserved under Namami Gange program, located in Sahibganj, Jharkhand.
Ghaghara, Gomti Sone: Subbasins relevant to the projects.
Capacity Building Initiatives for making water sensitive cities in the Ganga Basin: A project focused on building capacity for water management in cities within the Ganga Basin.
Agra: A city in Uttar Pradesh where the project for water sensitive cities will be implemented.
Prayagraj Districts: A district in Uttar Pradesh where the project for water sensitive cities will be implemented.
Uttar Pradesh: State in India where the project for water sensitive cities will be implemented in Agra and Prayagraj Districts.
National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water SRTW: Framework developed by NMCG for the safe reuse of treated water.
Sh. Mahabir Prasad: Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor of Ministry of Power, additional charge River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Sh. Nalin Srivastava: Deputy Director General of NMCG.
Sh. Anoop Kumar Srivastava: Executive Director Technical.
Sh. Brijendra Swaroop: Executive Director Projects
Sh. S.P. Vashistha: Executive Director Administration
Sh. Bhaskar Dasgupta: Executive Director Finance
Sh. Prabhash Kumar: Additional Project Director of Uttar Pradesh SMCG.
Sh. S. Chandrasekhar: I.F.S., Chief Conservator of Forest cum State Nodal Officer, Environment Climate Change, Bihar.
Dhanya Sanal K: Individual associated with the release of information.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
NMCG Approves Key Projects for Ganga
Rejuvenation via ecosystem restoration in 62nd
Executive Committee Meeting
The meeting chaired by the Director-General,
NMCG, focuses on sustainability in river rejuvenation
Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 3:48PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant push towards holistic river and environmental rejuvenation, the 62nd Executive Committee
(EC) Meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), chaired by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital,
Director-General, NMCG, focused on sustainability in river rejuvenation. Conservation of critical wetlands
and promoting the reuse of treated wastewater through city specific reuse plans and were deliberated in the
meeting. The Committee approved projects that align with the mission’s objectives of ecosystem restoration
across the Ganga basin. It may be noted that Namami Gange program has been recognised as one of the Top
TEN, World Restoration Flagship initiatives by UN Decade (UNEP&FAO)
In another important development, the EC gave the green light to the "Conserving and Sustainably Managing
NathmalpurBhagad (Wetland) in Bhojpur District, Bihar" project, with an estimated cost of ₹3.51 crore. The
project is the fifth wetland being undertaken under NGP. It aims to establish an effective management
arrangement for NathmalpurBhagad. So far, under Namami Gange conservation of 4 wetlands have been
already sanctioned at:
1. KalewadaJheel, Muzaffarnagar, UP
2. Namiya Dah Jheel,Prayagraj, UP
3. Reoti Dah Wetland, Ballia, UP
4. Udhwa Lake (Ramsar Site) Sahibganj, Jharkhand
It focuses on integrating biodiversity and ecosystem service values into river basin conservation and
developmental planning. The project proposes a dual approach with interventions at the sub-basin (Ghaghara,
Gomti & Sone confluence) and site levels (NathmalpurBhagad), including activities such as wetland
delineation, hydrological regime enhancement, species and habitat conservation, ecological assessment, riskevaluation, capacity building, communication and outreach, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure the long-
term health and sustainability of the wetland ecosystem.
Nathmalpur Wetland
The EC also approved funding of ₹34.50 lakh for the "Capacity Building Initiatives for making water-
sensitive cities in the Ganga Basin" project for the preparation of City Plans and training on the reuse of
treated wastewater for Agra and Prayagraj Districts in Uttar Pradesh. The project aims at preparation of city
level reuse plan aligned to the National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water (SRTW) developed by
NMCG.
Nathmalpur Wetland
These project approvals reaffirm NMCG’s commitment to integrated water management and environmental
restoration. As the Mission continues to evolve, such strategic decisions will play a pivotal role in achieving
the vision of a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable river ecosystem for future generations.
The meeting was attended by Sh. Mahabir Prasad, Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor of Ministry of
Power, (additional charge) River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti; Sh. Nalin
Srivastava, Deputy Director General of NMCG; Sh. Anoop Kumar Srivastava, Executive Director
(Technical); Sh. Brijendra Swaroop, Executive Director (Projects) Sh. S.P. Vashistha, Executive Director
(Administration); Sh. Bhaskar Dasgupta, Executive Director (Finance); Sh. Prabhash Kumar, Additional
Project Director of Uttar Pradesh SMCG and Sh. S. Chandrasekhar, I.F.S., Chief Conservator of Forest -cum-
State Nodal Officer, Environment & Climate Change, Bihar.
***Dhanya Sanal K
(Release ID: 2127245)