Working for a healthy Ganga Basin

Context

The Ganga is ecologically, economically and culturally one of the most important rivers in India. The Ganga Basin, including its main stem and tributaries, is a source of drinking water and livelihood for around 500 million people, more than 40 per cent of India’s population. The basin provides over one-third of India’s surface water and includes the country’s largest irrigated area.

The Ganga and its tributaries suffer from different stress factors like pollution from untreated/insufficiently treated sewage, industrial effluent, pesticides and fertilisers. Other factors include unregulated dumping of solid waste and growing water demands for drinking water, industrial consumption, and irrigation. Climate change also adds further stress to the situation.

A lot of effort has gone into rejuvenating the Ganga in the last decades. Since 2014, these efforts have gained momentum with the launch of the ‘Namami Gange’ programme, a flagship programme of the Indian government that is implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga.

Objective

Responsible actors at national level and in selected Indian states and districts apply integrated approaches that are improving river basin management along the Ganga.

Approach

The project advises the National Mission for Clean Ganga at strategic and operational level to effectively manage the Ganga Basin.

In cooperation with its partners, the project works on the development of Ramganga and Tapi River Basin Management Plans as well as Ganga Protection Plans at district level. These focus on implementing and monitoring clearly defined actions that address the most pressing issues in the respective area. Practical guiding documents and support in developing the relevant capabilities among local actor promote upscaling to other basins and districts.

With co-financing by the EU, the project supports the implementation and development of the India-EU Water Partnership.

Last update: December 2022