Namami Gange Programme’, is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by the Union Government in June 2014 with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crore to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.

The Government of India (GoI) launched the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) in 2014-15 for the rejuvenation of river Ganga and its tributaries with a budgetary outlay of ₹ 20,000 crore, for five years, up to March 2021 and has been further extended to March 2026 with a budgetary outlay of ₹ 22,500 crore.

The National Ganga Plan (CS) has been allocated a financial outlay of ₹3,400 crore[1] for the year 2025-26. This investment aims to enhance sewage treatment capacity, improve water quality, and regulate industrial waste discharge to rejuvenate the Ganga River and achieve prescribed bathing standards by 2025.

Ganga: Lifeline of India

The Ganga River, one of the most sacred rivers in the world, faces significant threats from excessive water abstraction and pollution. As a vital part of India’s cultural heritage and a key resource for sustenance, the river’s health is of paramount importance. To address these challenges, the Namami Ganga program was launched with the twin objectives of effectively reducing pollution and conserving and rejuvenating River Ganga.

The Ganga River Basin

The Ganga River basin is the largest in India, encompassing 27% of the country’s land mass and supporting about 47% of its population. Spanning over 11 states, the basin covers nearly 27% of India’s total geographical area. The majority of the basin, around 65.57%, is used for agriculture, while water bodies cover 3.47% of the area. Despite receiving 35.5% of the total water input in terms of precipitation, the Ganga River Basin is the second most water-stressed basin in India, following the Sabarmati Basin, with only 39% of the average per capita annual rainwater input among major Indian river basins. [2]

Vision

The vision for Ganga rejuvenation revolves around restoring the river’s wholesomeness, defined by ensuring “Aviral Dhara” (Continuous Flow), “Nirmal Dhara” (Unpolluted Flow), and maintaining its geological and ecological integrity. A comprehensive Ganga River Basin Management Plan (GRBMP) was developed by a consortium of seven IITs, emphasizing an Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) approach with multi-sectoral and multi-agency interventions.

Key Interventions

• Pollution Abatement (Nirmal Ganga): Addressing and reducing the sources of pollution in the river.
• Improving Ecology and Flow (Aviral Ganga): Enhancing the ecological health and continuous flow of the river.
• Strengthening People-River Connect (Jan Ganga): Fostering a deeper connection between the people and the river through community engagement and awareness.
• Facilitating Research and Policy (Gyan Ganga): Promoting diversified research, scientific mapping, studies, and evidence-based policy formulation

Over the years, concerted efforts made by NMCG are beginning to find success in restoring the pristine glory of the river.