Lok Sabha Question No. 4812 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-21
Subject: Namami Gange Programme
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4812

ANSWERED ON 21.08.2025

## NAMAMI GANGE PROGRAMME

## 4812. SHRI MUKESHKUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALAL:

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a)  the  objectives  of  the  review  meeting  held  between  the  Ministry  and  the  State  Government  of  West Bengal to assess progress under the Namami Gange programme;

(b) the main project indicators and targets evaluated during this meeting;

(c) the specific roadblocks identified which have hindered the implementation of this programme in West Bengal;

(d) the follow-up actions agreed upon to address them;

(e) whether the Ministry plans to conduct similar collaborative review meetings with other Ganga-basin States; and

(f) if so, the details along with the schedule thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a)  &  (b) The primary objective of the  review  meetings  is  to  comprehensively  assess  the  progress  of pollution  abatement works undertaken for the river Ganga and its tributaries under the Namami Gange Programme. These meetings serve as a platform to identify and resolve critical bottlenecks, implementation delays, and inter-departmental coordination issues that may hinder the timely execution of ongoing projects.

In the State of West Bengal, the progress of certain projects has been impacted due to challenges related to land acquisition and right to way (RoW) for laying interceptor sewers. The review meeting with officials  of  the  State  Government  of  West  Bengal  was  to  review  the  progress  of  major  ongoing infrastructure  projects.  The  meeting  focused  on  five  key  projects  related  to  Interception  &  Diversion (I&D)  and  Sewage  Treatment  Plants  (STPs)  in  the  towns  of  Maheshtala,  Chakdaha,  Berhampore  & Jangipur,  Garden  Reach  (Kolkata)  and  North  Barrackpore.  Detailed  discussions  were  held  on  project timelines,  implementation  challenges  and  coordination  between  agencies.  The  importance  of  timely completion was emphasized clear directions were given to expedite work to concerned agencies, to ensure

that all projects adhere to their scheduled deadlines. The follow-up to that direction is taken in subsequent Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) & Empowered Task Force (ETF) meetings.

(c)  &  (d) The  identification  of  suitable  land  for  the  establishment  of  new  Sewage  Treatment  Plants (STPs) and issue of statutory clearances like right of way for sewage-related networks have emerged as major  challenges.  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 competent authorities and through Central  Monitoring  Committee  (CMC)  to  evaluate  progress,  identify  potential  roadblocks,  and  ensure timely resolutions.

(e) & (f) Yes. The Central Government, through the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), is also regularly conducting comprehensive review meetings with all Ganga basin States, namely Uttarakhand, Uttar  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Jharkhand,  Himachal  Pradesh,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Rajasthan,  Haryana,  and  Delhi, through established institutional mechanisms under NMCG. These include the Project Review Meeting, the Central Monitoring Committee (CMC) and the Empowered Task Force (ETF).

The objective of these meetings is to evaluate project progress, identify potential bottlenecks, and facilitate  the  timely  resolution  of  issues  in  coordination  with  State  Government  and  implementing agencies. Till date, a total of 20 meetings have been conducted with the 11 Ganga basin States under the CMC, and 15 meetings under the ETF mechanism. These meetings are in addition to the regular review meetings taken by senior officials of NMCG.

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