Ganga Action Plan: Objectives, Phases, Achievements & More!

Ganga Action Plan is associated with collecting , re-routing, and treating both current hazardous and industrial chemical waste entering the river from recognised highly polluting units. It was started on January 14th, 1986, by Shri Rajeev Gandhi, India's then-Prime Minister. It aims to minimise pollution and enhance water quality. It is a fully centralized-sponsored programme. Due to waste being dumped into India's rivers from numerous sources, almost all of the country's rivers suffer from severe pollution. The Ganga River, India's fifth most polluted river, is no exception. The Ganga Action Plan's primary goals were to reduce pollution and enhance the Ganga River's water quality.

This article will discuss the Ganga Action Plan and its phases, objectives, achievements, failures, and other important facts and figures. This is an important topic for the candidates preparing for the UPSC exam and is covered under the environment section of the General Studies Paper-3 Syllabus. Join UPSC Online Coaching today and take a step closer to your IAS dream.

Current Status of the Ganga River

• The Namami Gange Project (NGP) has improved the water quality of the Ganga River throughout its course.
• Data released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti shows a marginal improvement in the water quality based on the parameters such as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and Fecal Coliform.
• The cleaning of the Ganga is being done at a very slow pace, and at this place, it will take decades to clean the whole river and make the water fit for human consumption.
• The Ministry Of Jal Shakti has approved 310 projects costing rupees 28790 crores for cleaning the Ganga.
• The current savage treatment capacity of the Namami Gange Project is 1794 MLD, but the 97 towns on the mainstream of the Ganga River generate 2953 MLD sewage.
• Improvement in the water quality is witnessed In the Hills of Uttarakhand, and in Bihar and West Bengal, a 30% improvement is witnessed.

What is Ganga Action Plan?

It was launched on January 14, 1986, by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, The Ganga Action Plan aimed to clean the Ganga River. The plan was a government-sponsored initiative with full project cost coverage. Ganga was made India's national river, and the National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA) led by the Prime Minister was established. The Ministry of Environment and Forest initiated the project's first phase.

The project unfolded in two phases.

• Phase 1 spanned from 1985 to 2000 and encompassed UP, Bihar, and West Bengal.
• Phase 2 started in 1993, covering 7 states: Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Delhi, and Haryana.

1993 saw the beginning of the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) as part of the Ganga Action Plan. The Environment Protection Act 1986 led to the creation of the central Ganga authority headed by the Prime Minister.

GAP (1985) was the first large-scale, government-led attempt to clean a polluted river globally—covering 25 Class-I towns across UP, Bihar, and West Bengal. Its strategy was interception, diversion, and treatment of sewage and industrial waste, alongside novel aims like biodiversity rehabilitation (e.g., soft-shelled turtles), afforestation, and methane recovery from sewage sludge.

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Background of Ganga Action Plan

Water pollution, especially in rivers, is increasing continuously due to factories along rivers, open defecation and other issues. This problem is seen in the bad condition of the river Ganga. Work to solve it started in 1985 with the Ganga Action Plan (GAP). The Indian government first thought of cleaning the river Ganga in 1979. However the Ganga Action Plan only started in 1985 after a full study of the river by CPCB.

Although discussions started in 1979, the GAP was formally launched in April 1986 amid sustained public and political pressures, symbolizing environmental commitment and public health prioritization.

Objectives of the Ganga Action Plan

The following were the main objectives of the Ganga Action Plan:

• To improve the Ganga River's water quality by interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic sewage and industrial waste entering the Ganga River.
• Controlling pollution from non-point sources such as agricultural runoff, human defecation, and throwing half-burnt or unburnt bodies into the river.
• Engaging in research and development for the conservation of biotic diversity of the Ganga River.
• Deploy new technology for sewage treatment, such as Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) and encourage sewage treatment through afforestation.
• Rehabilitation of species like- soft-shelled turtles for pollution abatement of river Ganga.
• To act as a trendsetter for taking up the same action plans in the polluted stretches of other rivers of India.
• Restoration of biodiversity inside the river and along its course.

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Implementation Phases of Ganga Action Plan

The Ganga Action Plan was implemented in the following two phases:

Ganga Action Plan Phase-1

• Phase 1 of the Ganga Action Plan was initiated in January 1986 and ended in March 2000.
• Phase 1 of the GAP was a 100% Centrally funded scheme that aimed at preventing the pollution of the river Ganga.
• The total cost of the Ganga Action Plan Phase-1 was Rs. 452 crores.
• According to the CPCB survey of the Ganga River Basin in 1984, the total sewage generated from 25 Class-1 towns in 1985 was estimated at around 1340 MLD.
• Due to a lack of funds and resources, pollution reduction works corresponding to 882 MLD only (65% at that time) were included under GAP Phase-1.
• To accomplish this, 261 pollution reduction projects in three States, namely Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Bihar, were sanctioned for Rs. 462 crores.
• The GAP Phase 1 was closed on 31st March 2000.
• Under this phase, a sewage treatment capacity of 865 MLD was created.

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Ganga Action Plan Phase-2

Since the GAP Phase 1, due to a lack of resources, could not cover the full pollution load of Ganga, the Ganga Action Plan Phase 2 (GAP Phase 2) was approved between 1993-1996.

• The GAP Phase 2 included Ganga and Yamuna Action Plans and the action plans for other tributaries of Ganga, including Damodar and Gomti.
• The GAP 2 was extended to other rivers of India under a separate scheme called- the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).
• After the launch of the NRCP in 1995, the Ganga Action Plan Phase 2 was merged with it.
• The Ganga Action Plan phase 2 covered 7 states: Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Delhi, and Haryana.
• The Implementation of the GAP Phase 2 started on 1 April 2001.
• Initially, the central government fully funded the project, which was later changed to 70:30 between the Centre and State.

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Financial scale and infrastructure gap

• By 2000, GAP Phase-I had sanctioned 261 projects with a total outlay of around ₹452 crore, creating 865 MLD of sewage treatment capacity—meeting only about 65% of estimated needs from Class-I towns.
• Phase-II (1993–2001), later merged with the NRCP, attempted expansion across 7 states with cost-sharing (70:30 Centre–State), yet lacked structural coordination.

Achievements of Ganga Action Plan

Following are some of the achievements of the Ganga Action Plan:

• Improvement in water quality over the pre-1985 period.
• Out of 764 total sanctioned projects under the Ganga Action Plan Phase 2, 652 were completed till 2014.
• 35 sewage treatment plants were planned to be constructed in 5 states.
• Admitting that the Ganga River is getting polluted and making an effort to clean it is the biggest achievement of the Ganga Action Plan.
• Despite massive state investment, real environmental benefits were limited. Only a fraction of waste was treated; GAP failed to arrest critical river pollution, with ongoing high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and faecal coliform counts in Varanasi stretches signaling near collapse.

Role of JICA in Ganga Action Plan

The Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) is a Japanese consultation agency that provided technical support for a Development Study on the “Water Quality Management Plan” for Ganga.

• JICA primarily focussed on 4 Uttar Pradesh towns: Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Allahabad.
• The study was conducted by the JICA from 2003 to 2005 to create Master Plans and Feasibility Studies for the sewers, their treatments, and non-sever components of the four cities.
• After submitting the Master Plan and Feasibility Study Reports, the JICA signed a loan agreement with the Government of India to implement pollution abatement schemes at around 1640 crore rupees in the four cities.

About Central Ganga Authority

The Central Ganga Authority (CGA) was formed in June 1985 to oversee the implementation work of the Ganga Action Plan under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of India. It is now replaced by the National Ganga Council.

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Reasons for Failure of Ganga Action Plan

The failure of the Ganga Action Plan can be attributed to several key reasons.

• There was not enough sewage treatment infrastructure, which was a major challenge. The plan expected to enhance sewage treatment capacity but saw weak implementation due to lack of funds and coordination among authorities.
• The absence of public awareness and participation might have been advantageous for the success of the plan.
• Pollution from industries continued to victimize the river. Even under regulations, a few industries did not adhere to pollution control norms, which led to the release of toxic substances into the Ganges.
• The plan also encountered issues related to governance and enforcement. The absence of strong rules and monitoring systems enabled the offenders to escape punishment.
• The scale of the pollution issue was just too large for the Ganga Action Plan to handle. The river covers such a large geographical area that it is not possible to address all the sources of pollution and provide comprehensive solutions.
• The Ganga Action Plan lacked a long-term vision and sustainability. This method produced short-term results but did not bring in any lasting transformation.
• Failures stemmed from top-down “end-of-pipe” solutions, weak data on actual sewage generation, political inertia, lack of multidisciplinary planning, poor public engagement, and failure to address cultural practices like open defecation and ritual disposal.

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Other Relevant Initiatives by the Government of India to Protect the Ganga River

The Government of India has taken several initiatives to protect the Ganga River. The initiatives are listed below.

• Namami Gange Programme: Launched in 2014, this program focuses on the integrated and sustainable development of the Ganga River basin.
• Sewage Treatment Plants: Construction and modernization of sewage treatment plants to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage into the river.
• Sustainable Sanitation Practices: Promotion of individual household toilets and community sanitation complexes to eliminate open defecation and prevent direct river contamination.
• National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA): Established to oversee project implementation, coordinate efforts, and enforce environmental regulations.
• Community Engagement: Platforms like Ganga Vichar Manch and Ganga Praharis involve local communities and stakeholders in the restoration process.
• Aviral Dhara: Focus on maintaining a minimum environmental flow in the Ganga to support the river's ecological health and aquatic life.
• Bhuvan-Ganga Web App- It is a mobile app. It ensures public involvement in the monitoring of pollution entering the river Ganga.
• National Green Tribunal (NGT): In 2017, it banned the disposal of any kind of waste in the River Ganga.
• Ganga Knowledge Centre (GKC) was established under the National Mission for Clean Ganga. The aim was to improve the implementation of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) program.
• Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (cGANGA)- Ganga was established in 2016 as a data collection center. It acts as a think tank to ensure the sustainable development of the Ganga River Basin.

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Ganga Action Plan: Key Facts ad Figures For UPSC

Ganga River Basic Information

• Ganga is the longest river in India, with a length of 2525 km, and it rises in the Western Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand.
• Ganga forms from the confluence of two headstreams, Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, at Devprayag.
• Ganga and its tributaries from the Ganga River system are also known as the Ganges.
• The Ganga River enters Bangladesh, where it meets with the Brahmaputra and falls into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta, also known as the Sundarbans, is the largest in the world, spreading across West Bengal in India and Bangladesh.
• Ganga is considered the holiest and purest river in India.
• After every 12 years, Kumbh Mela is organized on the banks of the river Ganga at Haridwar in Uttarakhand and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

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Namami Gange: Revival & Integrated Strategy

Launched in June 2014, the Namami Gange Programme (NGP) is a flagship, centrally funded initiative with a 2014–26 budget of ₹20,000–22,500 crore. It adopts an integrated river-basin approach, combining:

• Interception and treatment of sewage,
• Riverfront and ghat revitalization,
• Solid-waste and industrial cleanup,
• Biodiversity conservation,
• Rural sanitation (Ganga Gram),
• Basin-wide governance through multi-tier committees (national, state, district).
  Progress includes creation of institutional systems like the NMCG, adoption of eco-centric interventions, and recognition at COP26. However, implementation reports cite fund delays, incomplete sewerage networks, and resource underutilization (e.g., Clean Ganga Fund).

Way Forward

If we talk about the overall outcome of the Ganga Action Plan, it is not a sure-shot success, but there are some positive outcomes. For the first time, the GAP addressed the issue of rivers' pollution in India. It also laid strong emphasis on not only sewage treatment but also on the conservation of biodiversity of the river ecosystem.

There are some valuable lessons that we must learn from the GAP while moving forward with a similar exercise in the future:

• Proper feasibility study coupled with implementation planning is the prerequisite for the success of such a grand project.
• Use of the latest technologies and innovative ways to counter river pollution must be encouraged.
• There must be a proper monitoring mechanism to ensure the proper implementation of the project.
• Use of ICT will surely make the implementation of the project easier.
• The administration alone cannot implement such huge projects, so there must be full cooperation from the general public, civil societies, and all other stakeholders.
• The successful implementation of river cleaning projects worldwide must be studied in detail.

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