Namami Gange Programme Launched for Clean Ganga

Ganga River is essential part of India not only for its spiritual and cultural connotation but also because it hosts over 40% population of the country. Also, the Ganga River Basin is counted among the largest river systems of the world. The main stem of the river Ganga flows through 5 Indian states, though the complete catchment provides water to 11 Indian states.

The Ganga River Basin supports several diverse ecosystems. Greatest pilgrimage sites of the country, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kolkata, Varanasi, and Allahabad are located on the banks of the river. So, cleaning the Ganga becomes an economic agenda. To make Ganga clean, new projects under Namami Gange programme have been approved in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) and Haridwar (Uttarakhand), by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

The entry-level projects under Namami Gange programme include construction and repair of crematoria and ghat, installation and repair of sewage plants, and beautification of river front.
14 MLD STP in Sarai and 68 MLD sewage treatment plants (STP) in Jagjeetpur, Haridwar was approved under the Hybrid Annuity-based PPP mode. It was supported by the funds from the Central government. Moreover, 50 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) was approved at Ramana, Varanasi under the Hybrid Annuity-based PPP mode.

About Namami Gange Programme

• The programme has been launched for achieving the target of cleaning River Ganga in an effective manner with the continuous participation of all stakeholders, particularly five major Ganga basin States, including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
• The programme foresees river front development, sewage treatment infrastructure, biodiversity, public awareness, afforestation and river surface cleaning.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its state counterpart State Program Management Groups (SPMGs) held the responsibility for implementation of the programme.
• The programme also strives to improve coordination mechanisms between various union and state government agencies/ministries.

The programme implementation has been divided into three activities. Entry-level activities are for immediate visible impact, medium term activities will be implemented within the time frame of 5 years, and long-term activities will be implemented within the time frame of 10 years.