The recent news highlights a loan approval for the second phase of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) or Namami Gange Project by the World Bank. The five-year loan worth Rs.3,000 crore is intended to aid in managing pollution in the Ganga river basin. Including this loan, the mission has sanctioned 313 projects worth Rs. 25,000 crore.
The First Phase: Initial Investment and Projects
Namami Gange received Rs. 4,535 crore from the World Bank in its first phase. These funds were available until December 2021, under the National Ganga River Basin scheme.
Second Phase: Expansion and diversification of Projects
The recently approved loan is aimed at funding three new ‘Hybrid Annuity Projects’ in Agra, Meerut, and Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. These projects are centered on the tributaries of Ganga. Additionally, the loan will cover some spillover projects from the first phase as well as new cleaning projects in rivers like Yamuna and Kali.
Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) projects also make up a significant part of the second phase. Up to Rs.1,209 crore has been allocated for ongoing DBOT projects in Buxar, Munger, and Begusarai in Bihar.
Other initiatives receiving funding include institutional development, improving investment resilience to Covid-19-like situations, performance-based incentives for Urban Local Bodies, and communication and management programmes.
Challenges Faced: From Pollution to Governance
Despite these efforts, various challenges persist that hinder the cleanup and rejuvenation of Ganga. The river remains heavily polluted due to the presence of five states on its main stem, namely Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal. Industries such as tanneries in Kanpur, distilleries, paper and sugar mills in the Kosi, Ramganga, and Kali river catchments are significant contributors to this pollution.
Hydro power projects also pose a substantial problem. According to the Central Water Commission (CWC), 4 of the 11 hydro power projects on the Ganga’s tributaries are violating Ganga ecological flow (e-flow) norms, which disrupts the natural flow of the river.
Illegal constructions near river beds impact the mission. Poor governance and the lack of monitoring and supervision result in inefficient utilization of funds allocated for the programmes.
Namami Gange Programme: Aims and Machinery
The Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission sanctioned by the Union Government in June 2014. Its main objectives include effective abatement of pollution and conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga.
The programme falls under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and its state counterpart organizations, i.e., State Program Management Groups (SPMGs), implement the programme.
Namami Gange’s activities are spread across nearly 288 projects. Its main pillars are sewerage treatment infrastructure, industrial effluent monitoring, river-front development, river-surface cleaning, biodiversity, afforestation, and public awareness.
Previous and Ongoing Initiatives
Several initiatives taken in the past and present aim to improve the condition of the Ganga. These include the Ganga Action Plan, the establishment of the National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA), the creation of the Clean Ganga Fund, the launch of the Bhuvan-Ganga Web App, and legal actions such as the ban on waste disposal in Ganga by the National Green Tribunal in 2017.
Way Forward
The government’s Namami Gange Programme has revitalised India’s efforts in rejuvenating the Ganga. The loans from the World Bank have significantly aided in building critical sewage infrastructure and will continue to support the cleaning of the Ganga’s tributaries. For successful implementation, a strategic blueprint encompassing strict monitoring, mass awareness campaigns, use of digital media, and conservation of biodiversity in Ganga is needed.
Last Modified: February 7, 2024