Think-tank analysis finds funds underutilisation, slow progress in Namami Gange Programme

New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) Despite its ambitious objectives, only 69 per cent of funds allocated to the Namami Gange Programme were utilised up to 2024-25, according to a PRS Legislative Research analysis.

While some improvement in the Ganga's water quality has been observed, the Central Pollution Control Board noted that industrial waste remained a key pollutant, with more than 450 industries failing to meet pollution norms, PRS said in its Demand for Grants 2025-26 Analysis for the Union Jal Shakti ministry.

Additionally, sewage treatment capacity remains a bottleneck.

Of the targeted 7,000 MLD (million litres per day) treatment capacity, only 52 per cent has been achieved, leading to continued discharge of untreated sewage into the river.

"The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) targets a sewage treatment capacity of 7,000 MLD around the Ganga by December 2026. Two-hundred projects have been sanctioned to create sewage treatment plants with a capacity of 6,217 MLD, and to lay a sewerage network of 5,282 kilometres but, as of June 2024, 86 per cent of the targeted sewage network has been laid but only 52 per cent of the targeted sewage treatment capacity has been achieved," according to the think-tank analysis.

It found that funds allocated to the Namami Gange Programme had been "underutilised every year since 2014-15, except two years (2020-21 and 2021-22)... 69 per cent of the budgeted amount has been spent up to 2024-25." The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for 2024 had observed that this fund was lying largely unutilised, PRS said.

"As of March 31, 2024, the fund had Rs 876 crore. Of this, Rs 383 crore has been sanctioned for various projects," the think-tank said.

The PAC had noted several lapses in project management by the NMCG.

"Delays in the approval of detailed project reports, slow pace of implementation, and low fund utilisation were observed. Poor record maintenance was also noted," it had said.

The PAC also noted large expenditure on advertising and promotion, without proportional impact on the ground.

"While the Clean Ganga Fund was set up to collect funds from non-resident Indians and corporates, 53 per cent of the funds (as of March 2024) have come from public sector undertakings. The PAC recommended that the NMCG find alternate means to generate funds," PRS said.

Thirty river-interlinking projects have been identified under the National Perspective Plan (1980), with the aim of linking water-deficit basins with water-surplus ones.

"As of January 2025, implementation has started on only one project, the Ken-Betwa Link Project. This project was approved in 2021, with an estimated cost of Rs 44,605 crore. It is estimated to be completed by 2030. As of June 2024, Rs 9,105 crore (20 per cent of estimated cost) has been spent on the project," according to the analysis.

During the past 10 years, 76 per cent of the budget allocation to the Jal Shakti ministry has gone to the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, the analysis found.

Until 2021-22, the gap between allocations to the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation and the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation was below Rs 50 crore.

In 2021-22, allocation for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation almost tripled over the previous year, largely driven by increased allotment for the Jal Jeevan Mission.

The ministry has been allocated Rs 99,503 crore for the 2025-26 fiscal -- a 93 per cent increase over the revised estimate for 2024-25 -- PRS found.

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has been allocated Rs 74,226 crore, with the flagship Jal Jeevan Mission allotted Rs 67,000 crore.

This marks a 195 per cent rise over the revised estimate for 2024-25. However, this allocation remains slightly lower than the original budget for 2024-25, according to the PRS analysis.

The Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been allocated Rs 25,277 crore, up 17 per cent on year.

The PRS analysis also found that of the 5.86 lakh villages under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen, 96 per cent were declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus but only 44 per cent had undergone third-party verification.

"After meeting the ODF Plus criteria, villages can declare themselves to be ODF Plus at a gram sabha meeting. Third-party verification of this declaration is required to be done within 90 days of the first declaration. This may be done by district or block officials or non-government volunteers… 44 per cent of Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen villages have had their ODF-Plus model certification verified as on January 30," according to the PRS report. PTI UZM UZM SZM SZM

Source: PTI