Parliament Question: Targets achieved under Namami Gange Mission

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2032 ANSWERED ON 31.07.2025 TARGETS ACHIEVED UNDER NAMAMI GANGE MISSION 2032. SHRI E TUKARAM Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has achieved key targets under the Namami Gange Mission so far and if so, the details thereof; (b) the number of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) constructed or upgraded and the total sewage treatment capacity created under the mission till date; (c) the major reasons for delays, if any, in completion of approved projects; and (d) the total expenditure incurred under the said mission till date? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI (SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY) (a) Yes. The achievements of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) for improving the water quality along the river Ganga and its tributaries are as under: 1. A total of 212 number of sewerage infrastructure projects costing ₹ 34,526 crores have been taken up for remediation of polluted river areas with treatment capacity of 6,540 Million Liters per Day (MLD). 136 STP projects with a capacity of 3,780 MLD have been completed and made operational; 2. For industrial pollution abatement, 3 nos. of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) have been sanctioned, i.e., Jajmau CETP (20 MLD), Banther CETP (4.5 MLD), and Mathura CETP (6.25 MLD). Two projects, Mathura CETP (6.25 MLD) and Jajmau CETP (20 MLD), have been completed; 3. Annual inspection of Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs): Inspection of GPIs started in 2017. In 2024, 4246 Grossly Polluting Industries (GPIs) have been inventoried in the 7th round of inspection. All the GPIs have been inspected. So far, out of 4,000 GPIs on which action has been completed, 2682 GPIs are compliant, 517 are non-compliant, 523 GPIs are temporarily closed, and 278 GPIs are permanently closed. Among the non-compliant (517 GPIs), 26 GPIs have been issued notice for closure and 491 GPIs have been issued show 1cause notice. The Eighth round of the inspection has started. These efforts have 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. 4. At NMCG, an on-line dashboard “PRAYAG” has been operationalized for continuous monitoring of river water quality; the performance of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) etc. on the Ganga and Yamuna River; 5. NMCG successfully implemented the minimum e-flow norms notified in October 2018, ensuring continuous environmental flow in the river Ganga. Regular compliance is being effectively monitored by the Central Water Commission (CWC). 6. Biodiversity Conservation: Seven Biodiversity Parks in seven districts (Mirzapur, Bulandshahar, Hapur, Budaun, Ayodhya, Bijnore and Pratapgarh) of Uttar Pradesh and 5 priority wetlands in Uttar Pradesh (3), Bihar (1) and Jharkhand (1) have been sanctioned; 7. NMCG, through the State Forest Department, has implemented a forestry intervention project along the main stem of river Ganga. 33,024 hectares area have been afforested with an expenditure of about ₹ 414 crores; 8. A total of 160 lakhs of Indian Major Carp (IMC) fingerlings have been ranched in the Ganga since 2017 to conserve fish biodiversity and prey base for river Dolphins, and ensure the livelihood of fishers in the Ganga basin under the special project implemented by Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI); 9. Science-based species restoration programme, rescue, and rehabilitation programme for aquatic species like Dolphins, Otters, Hilsa, Turtles, and Ghariyal in collaboration with Wild Life Institute of India (WII), Dehradun and State Forest Department, have shown marked improvements in biodiversity with increased sightings of Dolphins, Otters, Hilsa, Turtles, and other riverine species; 10. “Ganga Knowledge Portal” is a pioneering initiative developed in-house by the National Mission for Clean Ganga, serving as a centralized repository for comprehensive resources on water resource management. This platform is engineered to facilitate access for students, research scholars, stakeholders, and the general public to a vast array of materials (1072 documents), including journals, publications, books, technical articles, research reports; data sets (District River Maps, STP performance and river atlas) and coffee table books. By concentrating on the intricacies of water resource challenges, Ganga Knowledge portal aims to enhance awareness and foster informed decision-making in this critical sector; 211. A total no. of 139 District Ganga Committees (DGC) have been constituted which conducts 4M (Monthly, Mandated, Minuted, and Monitored) meetings regularly. As of July 2025, more than 4,377 meetings have been conducted; 12. Ganga Task Force (GTF) was raised in the state of Uttar Pradesh to assist NMCG in carrying out its mandated tasks, such as (a) Plantation of trees to check soil erosion; (b) Management of Public Awareness / Participation campaigns; (c) Patrolling of Sensitive Rivers Areas for Biodiversity protection; (d) Patrolling of Ghats, etc.; 13. Comprehensive public awareness campaigns have been undertaken to instill a sense of responsibility and engagement among the public in efforts to clean and conserve the Ganga River. These include - Ganga Utsav, Nadi Utsav, regular cleanathons and plantation drives, Ghat Par Yoga, Ganga Aartis, etc. The efforts are also supported by dedicated cadres of Ganga saviours, such as Ganga Praharis, Ganga VicharManch, etc. 14. Improvement in river Quality: Measurable outcomes of the implementation of the NGM is provided through the reports of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on pollution assessment of rivers of India. 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. As per the biomonitoring conducted during 2024–25 at 50 locations along River Ganga and its tributaries, and 26 locations along River Yamuna and its tributaries, the Biological Water 3Quality (BWQ) predominantly ranged from ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’. The presence of diverse benthic macro-invertebrate species indicates the ecological potential of the rivers to sustain aquatic life. 15. Improvement in ecological status of river: 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. (b) As of 30th June 2025, a total of 167 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) have been made operational, resulting in the creation of a total sewage treatment capacity of 3,781 Million Litres per Day (MLD). (c) The major reasons for delays in the completion of projects are following: i. Identification of suitable land for the establishment of new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) ii. The issuance of statutory clearances such as right of way for sewage-related networks, obtaining permissions for road cutting, No Objection Certificates (NoCs) from competent authorities like forest and revenue departments; In order to address and overcome these challenges, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has been actively involved in closely monitoring the status of the projects. NMCG regularly conducts comprehensive review meetings under the chairmanship of the competent authority and through the Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) to evaluate progress, identify potential roadblocks, and ensure timely resolutions. (d) Under the Namami Gange Programme, from Financial Year 2014–15 up to 30th June 2025, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has disbursed a total of ₹19,679.84 crore to various agencies for the implementation of approved projects and interventions. ***** 4