NAMAMI GANGE MISSION PHASE-II

1. At a Glance

• Namami Gange Mission-II (NGM-II) is the second phase of the Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission, extending the flagship river-rejuvenation programme of the Ministry of Jal Shakti through to 2026 [S1][S2].
• Approved with a Rs 22,500 crore outlay (Rs 11,225 cr legacy liabilities + Rs 11,275 cr new interventions); centres on sewage treatment, ecology and public participation along the Ganga main-stem and tributaries [S2].
• Executed by National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), a statutory Authority under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 [S3].

2. Why in the News

• PIB release, 29 Jan 2026: in calendar 2025, 25 sewage treatment plants (STPs) with 530 MLD capacity were commissioned under NGM-II; cumulative installed sewage treatment capacity reached 3,977 MLD by December 2025 [S1].
• CPCB Polluted River Stretches (PRS) Report 2025 released; provides a 2018 vs 2025 state-wise comparison of Ganga main-stem pollution [S1].

3. Background & Evolution

• 1985: Ganga Action Plan (GAP-I) launched — first major intervention; followed by GAP-II (1993).
• 2009: National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Ganga declared "National River" [S3].
• 2011: World Bank-supported NGRBA project.
• June 2014: Namami Gange Programme (Phase-I) approved as a Central Sector Scheme; outlay Rs 20,000 cr up to 31 Mar 2021 [S2].
• 7 Oct 2016: River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016; NGRBA dissolved; NMCG notified as an Authority; National Council for River Ganga under PM created [S3].
• 2021: Cabinet approves NGM-II (Rs 22,500 cr) through 2026 [S2].

4. Core Static Facts

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti → Department of Water Resources, RD & GR [S1].
• Implementing agency: National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), registered earlier as a society, made an Authority under Section 3, Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 [S3].
• Governance tiers (post-2016 Order): (i) National Ganga Council chaired by PM; (ii) Empowered Task Force chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister; (iii) NMCG; (iv) State Ganga Committees; (v) District Ganga Committees [S3].
• NGM-II outlay: Rs 22,500 crore till 2026 [S2].
• Five main-stem Ganga States: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal [S1].
• CPCB manual water quality monitoring: 112 locations — UK-19, UP-41, Bihar-33, Jharkhand-04, WB-15 [S1].
• Installed sewage treatment capacity under NGM: 3,977 MLD (Dec 2025) [S1].
• Pillars: Sewerage infrastructure, River-front development, River-surface cleaning, Biodiversity, Afforestation, Public awareness, Industrial effluent monitoring, Ganga Gram [S2].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Environmental - Ganga supports ~40% of India's population in its basin; biodiversity hotspot for Gangetic dolphin (National Aquatic Animal), gharial, hilsa. - PRS 2025 of CPCB tracks polluted stretches across main-stem; 2018→2025 comparison signals improvement in priority-class stretches [S1]. - STP-centric strategy attacks the dominant point-source — untreated municipal sewage — historically the largest pollutant fraction [S2].

Administrative / Federal - Hybrid centre-state structure: NMCG (Centre) funds and approves; State Programme Management Groups + State/District Ganga Committees execute and monitor (Order, 2016) [S3]. - Hybrid Annuity PPP (HAM) model used for STPs (one-time capex + 15-yr O&M payments) to fix the chronic O&M failure of GAP-era assets [S2].

Economic - Rs 22,500 cr capex spurs construction, sanitation engineering jobs; HAM annuities create long-term private-sector stake in O&M [S2].

Legal / Constitutional - Anchored in Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (Section 3) via the 2016 Authorities Order [S3]. - Touches Article 48A (DPSP – protect environment) and Article 51A(g) (Fundamental Duty). - Water is a State subject (List II, Entry 17), but inter-state rivers fall under Union (List I, Entry 56), providing the constitutional basis for central action.

Scientific/Technological - Real-time water quality monitoring stations, Ganga Tarang & Bhuvan-Ganga geospatial dashboards; CPCB 112-station manual monitoring grid [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• CY 2025: 25 STPs of 530 MLD commissioned under NGM-II [S1].
• Dec 2025: Cumulative sanctioned/created sewage treatment capacity touches 3,977 MLD [S1].
• CPCB PRS Report 2025 released, updating priority classification of polluted stretches on Ganga main-stem [S1].
• PIB statement, 29 Jan 2026 by Ministry of Jal Shakti consolidating NGM-II progress [S1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• NGM-II budgetary outlay: Rs 22,500 crore valid up to 2026 [S2].
• Original Namami Gange launched in June 2014 with Rs 20,000 crore outlay [S2].
• NMCG became an Authority via Order dated 7 October 2016 under Section 3, Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 [S3].
• National Ganga Council is chaired by the Prime Minister (replaced NGRBA) [S3].
• Nodal ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti (NOT MoEFCC) [S1].
• CPCB monitors Ganga main-stem at 112 manual locations across 5 states [S1].
• State-wise CPCB stations: UP-41 (highest), Bihar-33, UK-19, WB-15, Jharkhand-04 [S1].
• Sewage treatment capacity created under NGM by Dec 2025: 3,977 MLD [S1].
• STPs commissioned in CY 2025 under NGM-II: 25 plants / 530 MLD [S1].
• River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 dissolved the NGRBA [S3].
• Implementing agency: NMCG (statutory Authority since 2016) [S3].
• STP procurement primarily on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) [S2].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III: Environment & Ecology — Conservation, Pollution; Infrastructure (water/sewage).
• GS-II: Government Policies & Interventions; Centre-State coordination.
• Probable stems:
• "Despite three decades of programmes, the Ganga remains polluted. Examine the design improvements introduced under Namami Gange Mission-II." (GS-III)
• "Cleaning a river is fundamentally a problem of urban governance and federal coordination, not of engineering." Critically examine in light of NGM-II. (GS-II)
• "Discuss the role of the National Mission for Clean Ganga as a statutory Authority under the EPA, 1986." (GS-II/III)

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Ganga Action Plan I & II — predecessor schemes; failure analysis.
• National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) — parallel programme for other rivers.
• Arth Ganga — economic-bridge framework (six verticals) linking Ganga to livelihoods.
• Jal Jeevan Mission / Swachh Bharat Mission — sanitation–water interface affecting river loads.
• CPCB & Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 — statutory pollution regime.
• Gangetic Dolphin / Project Dolphin (2020) — biodiversity dimension.
• Inland Waterways Authority of India & NW-1 (Ganga) — competing river uses.
• Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 — Section 3 authorities — legal scaffolding template.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• Confusing nodal ministry — it is Jal Shakti, not MoEFCC (MoEFCC oversaw NGRBA pre-2014).
• NGM-I vs NGM-II outlays: 20,000 cr (2014, till 2021) vs 22,500 cr (till 2026) — easy mix-up [S2].
• NMCG is a statutory Authority under EPA 1986, not under a standalone Ganga Act (no Ganga Act exists) [S3].
• National Ganga Council chaired by PM ≠ Empowered Task Force chaired by Jal Shakti Minister [S3].
• Ganga declared a "National River" in 2008 but it has no legal personhood at the national level (Uttarakhand HC's 2017 personhood ruling was stayed by SC).

11. Sources

• [S1] NAMAMI GANGE MISSION PHASE-II, Ministry of Jal Shakti, PIB, 29 Jan 2026 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2220210 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Namami Gange Mission-II approved with budgetary outlay of Rs. 22,500 crore till 2026, PIB — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1898802 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] Cabinet approves the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016, PIB — https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=150983 — (tier: 1)