Maarg Manthan · Topic 9.6

Namami Gange Programme

Current Affairs & Government Schemes › Housing and Sanitation Schemes · Topic 9.6

The Namami Gange Programme is an integrated conservation mission for the Ganga and its tributaries, run by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It was announced in the Union Budget of July 2014 and approved by the Union Cabinet on 13 May 2015 as a Central Sector scheme with 100 per cent Central funding and an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore up to 2020. It was extended for 2021 to 2026 with Rs 22,500 crore. It works on sewage treatment, river-front development, river surface cleaning, afforestation, biodiversity, industrial effluent monitoring and public participation. About 4,263 MLD of sewage treatment capacity was reported by June 2026.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Current Affairs & Government Schemes · Housing and Sanitation Schemes

At a Glance

Ministry Jal Shakti
Approved 13 May 2015, 100 per cent Central funding
Agency NMCG
Outlay Rs 20,000 crore (to 2020), Rs 22,500 crore (2021 to 2026)
Sewage capacity About 4,263 MLD (June 2026)
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Current Affairs and Government Schemes: Housing and Sanitation Schemes

Where Does It Fit?

This is the sixth topic of the macro on housing and sanitation. It deals with sewage that comes from towns along the river, so it ties together urban sanitation, water quality and river conservation. Previous topic: National Urban Sanitation Policy. Next topic: AMRUT 2.0 (Water Security).

What Are the Pillars and Institutions of Namami Gange?

Element	Detail
Entry-level pillars	Sewage treatment infrastructure, river-front development, river surface cleaning and afforestation, all under the Ministry of Jal Shakti
Other pillars	Industrial effluent monitoring, biodiversity conservation, public awareness and the Ganga Gram project in villages along the river
Implementing body	The National Mission for Clean Ganga, registered as a society in August 2011 and now the implementation arm
Apex body	The National Ganga Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, set up in October 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, replacing the National Ganga River Basin Authority of 2009
Funding	Central Sector with 100 per cent Central funding
Models	Hybrid Annuity PPP projects and the One City One Operator model, in which one agency builds and runs sewage systems of a city for years
History	The Ganga Action Plan began in 1986, and the Ganga was declared the National River on 4 November 2008

What Do the Numbers and Status Show?

Capacity: A report based on Government data in June 2026 said about 4,263 MLD of sewage treatment capacity had been created in the basin, and a January 2026 update gave 173 operational treatment plants and 3,976 MLD. Capacity differs by date
Portfolio: About 219 sewerage projects worth Rs 35,970 crore had been sanctioned for 6,610 MLD capacity, of which 146 were reported complete
Target: An earlier goal was to reach about 7,000 MLD by December 2026, and the progress is short of that, as reported
Phase: The second phase covers 2021 to 2026. I could not find a notified extension beyond March 2026, so check the Ministry
Arth Ganga: A sustainable development model to link the economy to the river through natural farming, livelihoods, tourism and water use, announced in 2019
Related: The urban side of water and sewerage is in AMRUT 2.0 (Water Security)

What Else Should You Remember?

Ganga basin: The main river flows through five States: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal
Source of pollution: A major share of pollution comes from untreated municipal sewage, followed by industrial effluents and solid waste
Gap in sewage: Cities along the river produce much more sewage than the capacity to treat it, and the gap in towns on tributaries is large
Ghats: Ghats and crematoria are being redeveloped as part of river-front work
Wildlife: The Ganga river dolphin is the National Aquatic Animal and Project Dolphin was announced in 2020
Ganga Praharis: Volunteers called Ganga Praharis help in monitoring and awareness
Monitoring: Real-time water quality stations and Central Pollution Control Board data are used to track biochemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen and faecal coliform
Legal: The National Green Tribunal has often reviewed the progress and pollution of the Ganga
Concerns: Delays, low use of capacity, untreated drains, unspent funds in earlier years and the effect of dams on flow
E-flow: A notification of 2018 required minimum environmental flows for the upper Ganga, which is a separate issue from treatment
Way forward: Treat and reuse sewage, regulate industrial discharge, restore ecological flow and involve communities

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Approval and funding: 13 May 2015, 100 per cent Central
Bodies: NMCG as agency and National Ganga Council as apex body
Models: Hybrid Annuity and One City One Operator
History: Ganga Action Plan 1986 and National River status 2008
Common errors: Calling it a Centrally Sponsored scheme or confusing NMCG with NGRBA

As an analytical point, cleaning the Ganga is mainly a problem of sewage and flow. Treatment plants help only when drains are connected, plants are run well and enough water is left in the river.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Institutions NMCG and NGC
Funding 100 per cent Central
Models HAM and OCOO

What Came Next?

The last topic of the macro covers the urban water and sewerage mission, AMRUT 2.0. Next topic: AMRUT 2.0 (Water Security).

Key People and Terms

NMCG National Mission for Clean Ganga
NGC National Ganga Council
HAM Hybrid Annuity Model
MLD Million litres per day
Arth Ganga River-linked economic model

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Approved: 13 May 2015.
Outlay: Rs 20,000 crore, then Rs 22,500 crore.
Apex body: National Ganga Council (2016).
Agency: NMCG.
National River status: 2008.

Do Not Confuse With

Namami Gange and the Ganga Action Plan The programme of 2014 and 2015 versus the first plan of 1986
NMCG and NGRBA Present implementing society versus the earlier authority of 2009
Namami Gange and AMRUT River mission versus urban water supply mission

Memory Hook

Treat the sewage, run the plant, leave water in the river: Namami Gange in three steps.

Mains Angle

Questions ask why the Ganga remains polluted despite the programmes. These points give a balanced frame.

Achievements Treatment capacity, institutions and river-front work
Gaps Untreated drains, delays and weak flow
Way forward Treatment and reuse, effluent control and ecological flow

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Assess the progress of the Namami Gange Programme and discuss why large investments have not fully restored the quality of the Ganga.”

How to Answer

Introduce Programme, bodies, funding.
Progress Capacity and projects.
Reasons Sewage gap, flow, delays.
Way Reuse, effluent control, e-flow.

GS Relevance

Prelims: launch, funding, implementing body, pillars, institutions. GS Paper 3: conservation, river pollution, environment. GS Paper 2: governance, institutional framework.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Namami Gange Programme?

Namami Gange is an integrated Ganga conservation mission of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, run by the National Mission for Clean Ganga. It was approved on 13 May 2015 as a Central Sector scheme with 100 per cent Central funding and Rs 20,000 crore, and it covers sewage treatment, river-front work, afforestation, biodiversity and public awareness.

Who runs the Namami Gange Programme?

The National Mission for Clean Ganga implements it under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and the National Ganga Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, is the apex body. The Council was set up in October 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, replacing the National Ganga River Basin Authority formed in 2009.

What is the funding of Namami Gange?

Namami Gange is a Central Sector scheme with 100 per cent Central funding. The first phase had an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore up to 2020, and Cabinet approved Rs 22,500 crore for the period 2021 to 2026. State governments and urban bodies run and maintain many of the plants after construction.

What is the latest status of Namami Gange?

A report based on Government data in June 2026 said about 4,263 MLD of sewage treatment capacity had been created, short of an earlier goal of about 7,000 MLD by December 2026. The approved period of the second phase ended in March 2026, and any extension should be checked with the Ministry.

What are the Hybrid Annuity and One City One Operator models?

In the Hybrid Annuity model, the Government pays part of the project cost during construction and the rest as annual payments, and the private developer runs the plant. In One City One Operator, a single agency builds and operates the sewage system of a whole city, so accountability for performance is clear.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Namami Gange is a Central Sector scheme with 100 per cent Central funding.

True

It was approved on 13 May 2015.

2 The National Ganga Council replaced the National Mission for Clean Ganga.

False

It replaced the National Ganga River Basin Authority.

3 The Ganga was declared the National River in 2008.