NMCG approves five Namami Gange projects in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved five Namami Gange projects worth Rs 295.01 crore in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Out of these 5 projects, three pertain to sewage management in West Bengal, one relates to sewage management in Uttarakhand and remaining one is related to ghat improvement works in Uttar Pradesh. Projects related to sewage management are located in high pollution load towns along river Ganga.

Approved Projects

Uttarakhand: The approved project includes laying sewer lines in some of uncovered areas in Haridwar.
Varanasi: The approved project includes repair and retrofitting of various ghats. It aims to strengthen poor condition of ghats through bolder pitching and stone steps to ensure improved life of ghats apart from avoiding risk and inconvenience to the visitors and pilgrims.
West Bengal: The sewage management works approved are in Kamarhati and Baranagar Municipalities (60 MLD STP, de-silting of sewer lines etc.) under PPP-based Hybrid Annuity mode. It also includes pollution abatement works for river Ganga in Berhampore Municipality (3.5 MLD STP and sewer network) and sewage management works in Nabadwip Municipality (9.5 MLD STP and renovation of 10.5 MLD STP).
In Uttarakhand, approval was given to one project for laying of sewer lines in some of the uncovered areas in Haridwar at an estimated cost of Rs 4.68 crore.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

NMCG is implementation wing of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (also referred as National Ganga Council). It was established in 2011 as registered society under Societies Registration Act, 1860.
It has a two tier management structure and comprises of Governing Council and Executive Committee. Both of them are headed by Director General (DG), NMCG. Executive Committee is authorized to approve projects under mission up to Rs.1000 crore.
Similar to structure at national level, State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs) acts as implementing arm of State Ganga Committees. This structure attempts to bring all stakeholders on one platform to take a holistic approach towards the task of Ganga cleaning and rejuvenation.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2018