Executive Summary:
The Indian government launched the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) in 2014-15 to rejuvenate the Ganga River and its tributaries. The program, extended to March 2026, has a total budgetary allocation of ₹26,824.86 crore. Interventions include wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and biodiversity conservation, with 502 projects sanctioned and 323 completed. The program has shown improvements in water quality, reduction of pollution from industries, increase in dolphin population, and recognition from the United Nations.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Financial Allocation:**
* The Revised/Final Estimates for the Namami Gange Programme from FY 2014-15 to FY 2024-25 was ₹23,424.86 crore.
* The Budget Estimates for FY 2025-26 are ₹3,400 crore.
* The total budgetary allocation since inception up to FY 2025-26 is ₹26,824.86 crore.
* **Program Interventions:**
* Comprehensive interventions include wastewater treatment, solid waste management, riverfront management, and biodiversity conservation.
* A total of 502 projects have been sanctioned, with 323 completed.
* **River Health:**
* Dissolved Oxygen (DO) levels are within acceptable limits along almost the entire stretch of the Ganga.
* Priority River Stretches (PRSs) in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal have varying levels of pollution (Priority Class V and IV).
* **Industrial Pollution Reduction:**
* Annual 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.
* Effluent discharge from GPIs has decreased from 349 MLD in 2017 to 249.31 MLD in 2023.
* **Biomonitoring:**
* Biological Water Quality (BWQ) ranged from Good to Moderate at 50 locations in 2024-25.
* **Biodiversity:**
* The dolphin population has increased from 2,500-3,000 in 2009 to approximately 6,327 in 2021-2023.
* Dolphin presence confirmed in 17 tributaries where they were previously unrecorded.
* **Recognition:**
* The United Nations recognized Namami Gange as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships.
Impact Analysis:
* **State Governments:**
* *Impact:* The State governments are supplemented in their effort in addressing the challenges of pollution in river Ganga and its tributaries through financial and technical assistance under the Namami Gange Programme.
* *Action Required:* To continue to coordinate with the central government on implementing and monitoring projects under the Namami Gange Programme.
* **Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs):**
* *Impact:* GPIs are subject to annual inspections to reduce pollution load.
* *Action Required:* GPIs must comply with regulations to reduce BOD load and effluent discharge.
* **National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG):**
* *Impact:* NMCG is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Namami Gange Programme and achieving its objectives.
* *Action Required:* Continue to implement and monitor projects, conduct surveys, and coordinate with stakeholders to achieve the goals of the Namami Gange Programme.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): An initiative by the Government of India to reduce pollution and rejuvenate the river Ganga and its tributaries.
Namami Gange Programme (NGP): An integrated conservation mission approved as a 'Flagship Programme' by the Union Government in June 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
River Ganga: A major river in India, considered sacred and the focus of rejuvenation efforts under the Namami Gange Programme.
Ministry of Jal Shakti: A ministry of the Government of India responsible for water resources and river development, including the Ganga rejuvenation project.
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 a stretch of the Ganga river is identified as Priority Class IV polluted stretch.
United Nations (UN): An international organization that recognized the Namami Gange initiative as one of the top 10 World Restoration Flagships.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI
DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2068
ANSWERED ON 31.07.2025
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS UNDER NMCG
2068. DR. THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOLKAPPIYAN
Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the funds allocated so far under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG);
(b) whether the Government has fixed any target dates by which the river Ganga and its tributaries would
be cleaned; and
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the achievements made, if any?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI
(SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY)
(a) 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.
(b) & (c): 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:
1a. 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 Ganga basin, 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.
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