Question : National River Conservation Plan

(a) the salient features of the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and the criteria laid down by the Government for identification of stretches of the rivers for abatement of pollution under the programme;

(b) the details of the rivers being restored/conserved through financial and technological support under NRCP, State/ UT-wise;

(c) the funds allocated/utilized for abatement of pollution of the rivers during each of the last three years and the current year along with the success achieved in this regard, State/river-wise;

(d) the details of the proposals received by the Government from various States for development of rivers and the action taken by the Government thereon; and

(e) whether the Government proposes to bring all the rivers under NRCP and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) to (e) It is the responsibility of the State Governments/concerned local bodies to set up proper facilities for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage for abatement of pollution of rivers. The salient features of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) include providing financial assistance and supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers in the country for taking up works relating to interception & diversion of raw sewage, construction of sewerage systems, setting up of sewage treatment plants, low cost sanitation facilities, electric/improved wood crematoria, river front development, etc., on cost sharing basis between the Central & State Governments. The work relating to conservation of Ganga and its tributaries is being handled by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR) from 01/08/2014 onwards.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with the State Pollution Control Boards monitors the river water quality across the country through a network of monitoring stations on various rivers under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. As per the report published by CPCB in February 2015, 302 polluted river stretches have been identified on 275 rivers based on Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution.

NRCP (excluding Ganga and its tributaries) has so far covered polluted stretches of 32 rivers in 76 towns spread over 14 States in the country at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 4579.56 crore, and Central share of Rs. 2238.72 crore has been released to the State Governments for implementation of various pollution abatement schemes. State-wise details of rivers covered under NRCP is given at Annexure-I. The State-wise details of funds released to various State Governments from 2014-15 to 2017-18 under NRCP are at Annexure-II. Sewage treatment capacity of 2466.43 mld (million litres per day) has been created so far under the NRCP, including 304.02 mld in the period 2014-15 to 2017-18.

Proposals are received from the State Governments from time to time for taking up pollution abatement works in towns along various rivers, and are considered for financial assistance under the NRCP subject to their conformity with the scheme guidelines, pollution status, prioritization, appraisal by independent institutions and availability of Plan funds. State-wise details of proposals received from various State Governments for consideration under NRCP from 2014-15 to 2017-18 are given at Annexure-III.

State Governments, apart from their own budgetary allocation, are also accessing financial assistance for creation of sewerage infrastructure, including STPs, in various cities/towns under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Smart Cities Mission of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs as well as Namami Gange programme of MoWR,RD&GR.

****