Why in the News?
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved an annual master plan for the River Cities Alliance (RCA), aimed at scaling up sustainable urban river rejuvenation.
What is the River Cities Alliance (RCA)?
- The RCA launched in 2021, promotes sustainable urban river management across India.
- It is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to integrate river-sensitive urban planning within cities.
- It aims to strengthen institutional capacities, foster collaboration, and support the creation of Urban River Management Plans (URMPs).
- As of 2025, 145 cities are part of the alliance, sharing best practices for river conservation.
- Key activities include promoting river-sensitive planning, peer-to-peer learning, and training for urban local bodies (ULBs).
About National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG):
- The NMCG is a flagship initiative to rejuvenate the Ganga River through pollution abatement, ecological restoration, and community involvement.
- Established in 2011, it implements the Namami Gange Program.
- It was launched with a ₹20,000 crore budget, covering over 288 projects.
- It focuses on pollution abatement and maintaining the ecological flow of the Ganga.
- It operates under a five-tier framework, including the National Ganga Council and state/district committees.
- Key Initiatives: Includes sewage treatment, riverfront development, real-time monitoring, and public awareness campaigns.
- It also addresses floods, droughts, and waterlogging in the Ganga basin.
| [UPSC 2021] Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)?
1. River basin is the unit of planning and management. 2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level. 3. One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis. Select the correct answer using the code given below. Options: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only* (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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