Lok Sabha Question No. 2032 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-31
Subject: Targets achieved under Namami Gange Mission
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri E Tukaram

## 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

cause 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;

11. 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

Quality  (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 30 th 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.

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