PM Modi chairs National Ganga Council meeting

News: The National Ganga Council will meet on 14^th December in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

Facts:

About National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (National Ganga Council)

• It has been established as an Authority under National Council for River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Act, 2016.

Composition:

•  It comprises the chief ministers of 5 states along the Ganga — Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand. Other members include nine Union ministers and the NITI Aayog vice-chairman.
• Prime minister of India is the chairperson of the Council.

Mandate: Superintendence, direction, development and control of River Ganga and the entire River Basin for prevention, control and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga.

Additional Information:

Namami Gange:

• It was launched in 2014. It is an Integrated Conservation Mission under Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Aim: achieve effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
• Main Pillars:
  • Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure,
  • River-Surface Cleaning,
  • Afforestation,
  • Industrial Effluent Monitoring,
  • River-Front Development,
  • Biodiversity,
  • Ganga Gram and
  • Public Awareness

Institutional structure for policy and implementation: A 5 tier structure was put forward by National Council for River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Act, 2016

1.       National Ganga Council

2.       Empowered Task Force (ETF) on river Ganga: It functions under chairmanship of Union Minister of Jal Shakti. It ensures that states, ministries, departments have an action plan with specific activities, milestones, and timeliness for implementing the programme.

3.       National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG): It has been established as an Authority under National Council for River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Act, 2016. It is the implementing agency of the Namami Gange Programme at the national level.

4.       State Ganga Committees oversee the implementation of the programme in respective states.

5.       District Ganga Committees in every specified districts through which river Ganga and its tributaries pass