The Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986, envisages a five-tier structure at national, state and district levels to undertake measures to prevent, control and abate environmental pollution in the Ganga river. According to the act, the model structure will comprise the following:

• National Ganga Council under the chairmanship of Honourable Prime Minister of India
• Empowered Task Force (ETF) under the chairmanship of Honourable Union Minister of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation)
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
• State Ganga Committees
• District Ganga Committees in every specified district abutting Ganga river and its tributaries in states

The National Mission for Clean Ganga includes undertaking massive afforestation activities to conserve biodiversity, along with developing the flora & fauna and carrying out effective plans & policies to conserve dolphins, turtles, and varieties of fish.

The organisation will have a two-tier management structure and consists of the Governing Council and Executive Committee that will be headed by the National Mission for Clean Ganga Chairman (also known as the Director General). In addition, the Executive Committee has been authorised to accord approval for all projects of up to Rs. 1,000 crore (US$ 135.7 million).

At the state level, State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs) will act as the implementing arm of State Ganga Committees. Thus, this newly created structure attempts to bring all stakeholders on a single platform and take a holistic approach to clean and rejuvenate Ganga.

Also, the National Mission for Clean Ganga Chairman is an Additional Secretary in the Government of India. Moreover, to effectively implement projects under supervision of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, the State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs) will be headed by senior officers of the states concerned.

Implementation of the National Mission for Clean Ganga is undertaken across three phases:

• Entry-level activities: Include immediate, visible-impact activities such as river surface cleaning, rural sanitation to prevent pollution entering the river through rural sewage drains, renovation, modernisation, and construction of crematoria & ghats to improvise the human-river connect.
• Medium-term activities: comprise activities that arrest municipal and industrial pollution entering the river.
• Long-term activities: consist of providing adequate flow to the river, enhancing usage efficiency, and improving efficiency of surface irrigation. It also includes preparation of guidelines on techno-economic practicability to implement zero liquid discharge (ZLD) treatment process.

Namami Gange Programme

The Namami Gange Programme is a flagship initiative of the Union Government and was implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga. It was inaugurated in June 2014, with a budget of Rs. 20,000 crore (US$ 2.7 billion) to achieve two objectives, i.e., conservation and rejuvenation of Ganga.

The main pillars of the programme are treating sewerage infrastructure, achieving biodiversity, developing riverfronts, cleaning river surfaces, enabling afforestation, monitoring industrial effluents, and increasing awareness among the public.

Since the program's initiation, a comprehensive total of 457 projects, inclusive of sewerage infrastructure initiatives, have been undertaken, amounting to an estimated cost of Rs. 38,438.05 crore (US$ 4.61 billion). Among these, 280 projects have reached completion and are now operational.

Primarily focusing on addressing the rampant pollution stemming from untreated domestic and industrial wastewater in the river, most of the projects revolve around establishing sewage infrastructure. Specifically, 198 sewerage infrastructure projects have been initiated, encompassing a financial outlay of Rs. 31,575.84 crore (US$ 3.79 billion) allocated for the construction and refurbishment of 6,208.12 million Litres per Day (MLD) capacity in Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). Among these sewerage endeavours, 111 projects have been successfully finalized, thereby augmenting the overall sewage treatment capacity by 2,844.00 MLD.

The National Mission for Clean Ganga Chairman Rajiv Ranjan Mishra said, “Namami Gange mission is an integrated mission for pollution abatement as well as improvement in ecology and flow of Ganga and its tributaries. The primary focus of the mission is improving ecology and reducing pollution. We have made considerable progress in these aspects. We are now taking policy initiatives for linking economic development with ecological improvement. Clean energy & water ways, along with biodiversity, conservation and wetland development remain a priority.”

Ganga Knowledge Centre

The National Mission for Clean Ganga established the Ganga Knowledge Centre (GKC) to improve on the implementation of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) programme. The main objectives of GKC are to create and manage knowledge resources including analysis and modelling of diverse data sets relevant to the Ganga River Basin; design and foster research innovation by identifying knowledge gaps, need for new ideas and supporting targeted research; and facilitate dialogue with stakeholders by involving the public and building partnerships with national and international universities/institutions, public & private entities, and NGOs.

The Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga)

Established in 2016, the Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGanga) is a data collection centre to ensure sustainable development of Ganga River Basin. cGanga acts as a think tank for the National Mission for Clean Ganga, Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR, RD & GR) and the Government of India.

National Mission for Clean Ganga – Key Investments and Developments

• The Namami Gange Programme, through the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), aims to sanction a cumulative treatment capacity of 7,000 MLD by December 2026. This initiative reflects a concerted effort to address the challenges of pollution in the Ganga basin, showcasing significant progress in the creation and rehabilitation of sewage treatment infrastructure, thereby fostering the restoration and preservation of this vital river ecosystem.
• On December 13, 2023, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) made substantial progress in its mission to combat pollution in the Yamuna by signing a tripartite Concession Agreement with the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam and M/s. EIEL Mathura Infra Engineers Pvt. Ltd. This agreement, valued at Rs. 240.01 crore (US$ 28 million) facilitates the development of a 60 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at the Gokul Barrage in Mathura, exemplifying NMCG's commitment to enhancing sewage treatment infrastructure and fostering sustainable river conservation efforts.
• On October 12, 2023, the Executive Committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) convened its 51st meeting, chaired by Mr. G. Asok Kumar, Director General of NMCG. During this session, seven projects totalling approximately Rs. 285 crore (US$ 34 million) were approved. These projects encompass various initiatives including sewerage management in West Bengal and Uttarakhand, extension of Composite Ecological Task Force (Ganga Task Force) to rejuvenate River Ganga and River Gomti, enhancement of fish stock and livelihood improvement for sustainable fisheries in River Ganga, and wetland conservation efforts in Muzaffarnagar, Prayagraj, and Ballia District.
• On August 1, 2023, the 50th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved seven projects worth Rs. 692 crore (US$ 82 million). Notable highlights include three sewage management projects in Uttar Pradesh totalling over Rs. 661 crore (US$ 79.3 million) and the approval of Urban River Management Plans (URMPs) for 60 cities. Innovative initiatives such as an M.Sc. Course in Freshwater Ecology and Conservation and the construction of an electric crematorium in West Bengal were also greenlit, showcasing NMCG's comprehensive approach to river conservation and ecosystem restoration.
• In April 2021, the central government received Rs. 14.18 crore (US$ 1.92 million) for rejuvenation and conservation of the Ganga River between 2020 and 2021.
• In March 2021, the government announced two key projects worth Rs. 9.25 crore (US$ 1.25 million) and Rs. 221.66 crore (US$ 30.08 million), resp., for Ayodhya.
• In December 2020, the NMCG completed 22 projects and sanctioned 17 new projects related to sewerage infrastructure, pollution abatement, afforestation, and biodiversity at a total cost of Rs. 557 crore (US$ 75.6 million).
• In December 2020, the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research signed a memorandum of understanding MoU with Ganga, a think tank of the NMCG, to develop the sludge management framework in India.
• In September 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated six projects under the Namami Gange Mission in Uttarkhand. These projects included constructing a 68 MLD (million litres per day) sewage treatment plant, upgrading the existing 27 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) and building an 18 MLD STP in Haridwar. It also included inauguration of ‘Ganga Avakolan’, the first-of-its-kind museum on Ganga, featuring its culture, biodiversity, and rejuvenation activities.
• In July 2020, the Government of India and World Bank signed a Rs. 3,000 crore (US$ 400 million) loan agreement on a second National Ganga River Basin project for the Namami Gange programme under the NMCG scheme.