Lok Sabha Question No. 263 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-08
Subject: Namami Gange Programme
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Balubhau (Alias Suresh Narayan) Dhanorkar, Mala Roy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI, DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 263

## ANSWERED ON 08.12.2022

## NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAMME

## 263 SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR SHRIMATI MALA ROY

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:-

- (a) the current status of Namami Gange Programme;
- (b) the details of funds allocated and utilised under the Namami Gange Programme, State-wise;
- (c) the details of the number of projects sanctioned and completed under the Namami Gange Programme along with the target set and impediments being faced for completion of the projects;
- (d) whether the Ministry has carried out any study to assess the level of pollution in the Ganga river and if so, whether the water of the Ganga river is now safe for drinking and bathing at various important cities;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the details of the latest audit report on the Namami Gange projects?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI ( SHRI BISHWESWAR TUDU )

(a) Under Namami Gange 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. So far, a total of 406 projects have been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs.32,897.83 Crore.

(b) Namami  Gange  Programme  was  launched  in  June  2014  for  a  period  up  to  31 st March,  2021.  A  total  of Rs.13,624.86 crore were provided for the programme in the Budgets for FY: 2014-15 to 2020-21, out of which Rs.10,217.02  crore  were  released  to  the  National  Mission  for  Clean  Ganga  (NMCG).  The  programme  was subsequently extended up to 31st March, 2026.  Rs.4,700 crore have been provided for the programme in the Budgets for FY: 2021-22 and 2022-23 (BE).

There is no State-wise allocation. However, the amount released/expended by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to States for implementation of projects, compiled State-wise, from 2014-15 up to 31 st October, 2022, is as under:

| State            | Amt. (Rs. in crore)   |
|------------------|-----------------------|
| Uttarakhand      | 1,117.34              |
| Uttar Pradesh    | 4,205.41              |
| Bihar            | 3,516.63              |
| Jharkhand        | 250.005               |
| West Bengal      | 1,320.39              |
| Madhya Pradesh   | 9.89                  |
| Delhi            | 1,253.86              |
| Haryana          | 89.61                 |
| Rajasthan        | 71.25                 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 3.75                  |

(c) Under  Namami  Gange  Programme,  a  total  of  406  projects  have  been  taken  up  at  an  estimated  cost  of Rs.32,897.83 crore. Out of these 224 projects have been completed while remaining are at different stages of implementation. Cleaning of river is a continuous process and Government of India is supplementing the efforts of the State Government in addressing the challenges of pollution in river Ganga and its tributaries by providing financial and technical assistance under Namami Gange Programme. The projects have now taken their pace and efforts are now being made to complete the projects by their scheduled completion timeline.

The impediments faced during implementation of the Project include delays in obtaining permissions for road cutting, railways/NH crossings, land procurement, forest clearances, change of sites and abnormal floods etc.

(d) & (e) Under the Namami Gange Programme, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is carrying out studies for water quality assessment of the River Ganga at 97 locations in 5 main stem States through the respective State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs). River water quality is assessed for primary water quality criteria notified for outdoor bathing. As per designated best use water quality criteria for drinking water specified by CPCB, river water can be used for drinking purpose only after appropriate treatment.

Based on the water quality assessment by CPCB in 5 Ganga main stem states in 2022(January to September), the observed water quality indicates that median value of Dissolved Oxygen which is an indicator of river health has been found to be within acceptable limits of notified primary bathing water quality criteria and satisfactory to support the ecosystem of river for almost entire stretch of river Ganga. The median value of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) has been found within the acceptable limits except marginal exceedance (BOD: 3.3 to 4.7 mg/L) in locations/stretches viz. stretch from (i) Kannauj U/s to Kala Kankar, Rai Bareilly & D/s Mirzapur to Tarighat, Ghazipur (except U/s Varanasi, Assighat) in Uttar Pradesh and (ii) at Shitalatala, Palta in West Bengal.

Further, as a result of multi sectoral interventions, as per comparison of median data of water quality parameters viz., DO and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Faecal Coliforms (FC) of year 2014 and 2022 (January to September); DO (Median) has improved at 33 locations, BOD (Median) has improved at 40 locations and FC (Median) has improved 28 locations, respectively.

(f) The audit of Annual Accounts of NMCG is carried-out by the office of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG). The audit of Annual Accounts for FY 2021-22 was undertaken by the office of C&AG during 08 August 2022 to 26 August 2022. The Audit Report on Annual Accounts of NMCG for FY 2021-22 was received from the office of C&AG on 25.10.2022.

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