Ganga Action Plan (GAP) Phase-I was started in the year 1985 to improve the water quality of river Ganga and was completed in March 2000. An expenditure of Rs.433 crore has been incurred against sanctioned cost of projects of Rs.462 crore.

Projects under GAP Phase-II were sanctioned in stages from 1993 onwards on receipt of proposals from respective State Governments. The total cost of the projects sanctioned under the ongoing GAP Phase-II is Rs.594.96 crore against which an expenditure of Rs.469.75 crore has been incurred so far. A total sewage treatment capacity of 1091 mld (million litres per day) has been created for Ganga under GAP-I & II.

Yamuna Action Plan (YAP) for abatement of pollution of river Yamuna is being implemented in a phased manner.  YAP Phase-I started in 1993 with a sanctioned cost of Rs.705.51 crore against which an expenditure of Rs 682 crore has been incurred.  The completion period of the phase was upto the year 2000.  However, this phase was extended upto 2003 owing to inclusion of additional works on the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court as well as by the Government of India. 

The ongoing second phase of YAP was started in December 2004 with an approved cost of Rs.624 crore with a completion period of 5 years.   Starting of this phase took some time due to compliance to the administrative and procedural requirements. Sanctioned cost of projects under this phase so far has been Rs. 666.76 crore.  Excess sanctioned cost is due to revision in scope of works, taking up of additional works etc. which are borne by the respective State Governments.    A total sewage treatment capacity of 767.25 million litres per day (mld) has been created under both the phases.

Other pollution abatement works undertaken include, creation of community toilets, setting up of electric/improved wood crematoria and river front development. Delay in completion of pollution abatement works by the States is mainly due to procedural issues in acquisition of land, contractual disputes, litigation etc. Cost escalation, if any, over approved/sanctioned cost of schemes due to such delay is to be borne by the respective State Governments.

           Both Ganga and Yamuna Action Plan are implemented on a cost sharing basis between the Centre and the States. Details of central funds released and expenditure incurred in the States, including state share, for conservation of river Ganga and Yamuna during the last three years are given below :-

Rs. crore

The National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) constituted by the Central Government  in February, 2009 as an empowered authority for conservation of the river Ganga aims to achieve complete elimination of untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluents flowing into Ganga by the year 2020.  Projects amounting to Rs.2589 crore have been sanctioned under NGRBA. Besides, a project with World Bank assistance at an estimated cost of Rs.7000 crore has been approved for implementation recently.

River conservation projects such as creation of civic infrastructure for sewage management and disposal are also being implemented under other central schemes, such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns, as well as under State sector schemes.

The Minister of State  for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajangave this information in a written reply to a question by Shri Manohar Tirkey and Shri Prasanta Kumar Majumdar in Lok Sabha today.

KP