Syllabus:

GS2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context: 

Recently, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved Action Plan 2025 to Strengthen Urban River Rejuvenation under the River Cities Alliance. 

More on the News

• The plan encompasses a series of capacity-building programs, knowledge exchange platforms, development of technical tools, expert guidance, and thematic case studies, all focused on integrating river-sensitive urban planning within India's growing cities.
• A major focus this year will be the promotion of river considerations within city master plans through the organization of River-Sensitive Master Planning (RSMP) training programs across states. 
• Simultaneously, to support the formulation of Urban River Management Plans (URMPs), the NMCG will conduct training sessions including onboarding programs specifically for RCA cities in Tamil Nadu, with further sessions planned for additional states.
• The NMCG’s approval of the 2025 plan under RCA marks a pivotal advancement in institutionalising river-sensitive urban planning across India.

Urban River Management Plans (URMP)

• The URMP framework was launched in 2020 by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and NMCG, represents a first-of-its-kind approach to ensure that environmental, economic, and social dimensions are considered in the urban management of rivers. 

• Five cities namely Kanpur, Ayodhya, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Moradabad, and Bareilly have already developed their URMPs, setting the benchmark for other urban centers. 

• Notably, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar’s Kham River Restoration Mission was globally recognized by the World Resources Institute’s Ross Center Prize for Cities, underlining the transformative potential of this initiative.

• The year ahead will also see the development of 25 more URMPs as part of the first phase of a larger mission to create 60 such plans across India over the next two to three years. 

• Supported by the World Bank, this initiative marks a bold step in deepening river-sensitive urban governance. 

• Steering Committees have already been constituted in states like Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal to facilitate plan formulation and guide implementation.

• In alignment with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision, the NMCG is also steering the development of a URMP for the national capital. 

• The URMP in Delhi will serve as a model for other metropolitan cities, anchoring the vision of resilient and river-sensitive urban development.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) 

• NMCG implements the Union government’s ambitious Namami Gange scheme.
• It was registered as a society in 2011 under the Societies Registration Act 1860. 
• It acted as the implementation arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act,1986.
• It was formed to achieve the twin goals of effectively abating pollution and conserving and rejuvenating the Ganga River. 
• Recently, the Central Board of Direct Taxes has notified the NMCG as an authority under clause 46A of section 10 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, granted it exemptions from taxes on income.

MAINS PYQs 

• Industrial pollution of river water is a significant environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government’s initiative in this regard. (10 M/2024)
• Discuss the Namami Gange and National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) programs and the causes of mixed results from the previous schemes. What quantum leaps can help preserve the river Ganga better than incremental inputs? (12.5 M/2015)
• Enumerate the National Water Policy of India. Taking river Ganges as an example, discuss the strategies that may be adopted for river water pollution control and management. What are the legal provisions for the management and handling of hazardous wastes in India? (10 M/2013)