India and Germany signed agreement on Namami Gange Programme

Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and German International Cooperation (GIZ) on 13 April 2016 signed an Implementation agreement for Ganga Rejuvenation under the Namami Gange Programme in New Delhi.

The agreement was signed in the presence of the German Ambassador to India, Dr. Martin Ney and Secretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shashi Shekhar.

The project will closely cooperate with other National and international initiatives including Indo-German bilateral projects like Support to National Urban Sanitation Policy (SNUSP) and Sustainable Environment-friendly Industrial Production (SEIP).

The project duration is three years that is from 2016 to 2018 and the German contribution in the project will be to the tune of 22.5 crore rupees.

The objective of the agreement

• It will enable responsibility of stakeholders at National and State level to apply integrated river basin management approach for the rejuvenation of the river Ganga.

• This will be based on Indo-German Knowledge exchange and practical experience on strategic river basin management issues, effective data management system and public engagement.

• Initial actions will focus on the State of Uttarakhand, with scope of expansion to other upstream Ganga States. 

• The ultimate goal is to adopt the successful river basin management strategies used for Rhine and Danube and replicate the same, wherever possible for attaining the pristine status of river Ganga.

About Namami Gange Programme

The Union Government gave its nod for implementation of Namami Gange programme (NGP) on 13 May 2015.

It is a flagship programme of Union Government with a renewed impetus to decrease river pollution and to rejuvenate the Ganga.

In order to achieve this Indian Government has solicited support from various countries to conserve the revered river Ganga.

Germany Government, with its vast experiences in cleaning and rejuvenating European rivers such as Rhine, Elbe and Danube was keen to join hands for collaboration with Union Government of India.

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