Lok Sabha Question No. 4227 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-11
Subject: Irregularities under Ganga River Cleaning Schemes
Ministry: WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANAGA REJUVENATION
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4227

ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016

## IRREGULARITIES UNDER GANGA RIVER CLEANING SCHEMES

## 4227.            SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN

Will the Minister of WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the expenditure incurred by the Union and State Governments on cleaning of Ganga river as on date and the details of achievements made in this regard;
- (b) whether many cases of irregularities have surfaced under different schemes of its cleaning;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and whether those cases are being investigated;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government is contemplating to make any national river policy, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a) Funds allocated and spent till 13.07.2016 on Cleaning of Ganga by Government since inception of National Mission for Clean Ganga is given below:

|         |          | Rs.In crore                          |
|---------|----------|--------------------------------------|
| FY      | RE       | Actual Expenditure by Govt. of India |
| 2011-12 | 216.61   | 192.58                               |
| 2012-13 | 193.50   | 191.52                               |
| 2013-14 | 309.00   | 303.95                               |
| 2014-15 | 2,053.00 | 326.00                               |
| 2015-16 | 1,650.00 | 1,632.00                             |
| 2016-17 |          |                                      |
| Total   | 4,422.11 | 2,646.05                             |

Till today 97 projects have been sanctioned under Namami Gange programme in 53 towns. 32 of these  97  projects  have  been  completed.  The  projects  cover  Sewerage  and  Sanitation;  River  Front Development (RFD); Water Quality Monitoring of river Ganga; Ganga Knowledge Centre; Educating Schools and communities for conserving habitat of Ganga river Dolphin; and 'Forestry Interventions for river Ganga'.

- (b) No, Madam. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) is not aware of any irregularities under different schemes to clean river Ganga during the period 01/08/2014 till date.  The works relating to  pollution  abatement  in  river  Ganga  &  its  tributaries,  including  NGRBA  programme  has  been transferred to Ministry of Water  Resources, River  Development  &  Ganga  Rejuvenation  w.e.f. 01.08.2014.
- (c) & (d) Does not arise.
- (e) The National Water Policy, 2012 was adopted by the National Water Resources Council at its meeting held on 28.12.2012. The National Water Policy, 2012 has made several recommendations for development and improved management of water resources in the country. The salient features of the National  Water  Policy,  2012  are  annexed.  There  is  presently  no  proposal  for  formulating  a  separate national river policy by the Government.

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## Annexure referred to in reply to part (e) of Lok Sabha unstarred Question No.4227 due for reply on 11.08.2016

## SALIENT FEATURES OF NATIONAL WATER POLICY (2012)

1.  Emphasis  on  the  need  for  a  national  water  framework  law,  comprehensive  legislation  for  optimum development of inter-State rivers and river valleys.
2. Water, after meeting the pre-emptive needs for safe drinking water and sanitation, achieving food security, supporting  poor  people  dependent  on  agriculture  for  their  livelihood  and  high  priority  allocation  for minimum eco-system needs, be treated as economic good so as to promote its conservation and efficient use.
3.  Ecological needs of the river should be determined recognizing that river flows are characterized by low or no flows, small floods (freshets), large floods and flow variability and should accommodate development needs. A portion of river flows should be kept aside to meet ecological needs ensuring that the proportional low and high flow releases correspond in time closely to the natural flow regime.
4.  Adaptation  strategies  in  view  of  climate  change  for  designing  and  management  of  water  resources structures and review of acceptability criteria has been emphasized.
5.  A  system  to  evolve  benchmarks  for  water  uses  for  different  purposes,  i.e.,  water  footprints,  and  water auditing  he  developed  to  ensure  efficient  use  of  water.  Project  financing  has  been  suggested  as  a  tool  to incentivize efficient & economic use of water.
6. Setting up of Water Regulatory Authority has been recommended. Incentivization of recycle and re-use has been recommended.
7.  Water  Users  Associations  should  be  given  statutory  powers  to  collect  and  retain  a  portion  of  water charges, manage the volumetric quantum of water allotted to them and maintain the distribution system in their jurisdiction.
8.  Removal  of  large  disparity  in  stipulations  for  water  supply  in  urban  areas  and  in  rural  areas  has  been recommended.
9.  Water  resources  projects  and  services  should  be  managed  with  community  participation.  Wherever  the State Governments or local governing bodies so decide, the private sector can be encouraged to become a service  provider  in  public  private  partnership  model  to  meet  agreed  terms  of  service  delivery,  including penalties for failure.
10.  Adequate  grants  to  the  States  to  update  technology,  design  practices,  planning  and  management practices, preparation of annual water balances and accounts for the site and basin, preparation of hydrologic balances for water systems, and bench marking and performance evaluation etc.

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