Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu : Funds Allocation for Cleaning of Rivers

New Delhi : Minister of State for Jal Shakti & Tribal Affairs, Bishweswar Tudu in  Rajya Sabha  today said that Central Pollution Control Board in association with Pollution Control Boards/Committees in different States/UTs have been monitoring water quality of rivers and other water bodies across the country through a network of monitoring stations under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme. As per the last report published by CPCB in September 2018, 351 polluted stretches have been identified on 323 rivers based on monitoring results of 521 rivers in the country in terms of Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), an indicator of organic pollution.

Based on water quality monitoring of rivers, pollution assessment has been carried out by CPCB from time to time. Cleaning and rejuvenation of rivers is a continuous process, including self purification.

For conservation of rivers, this Ministry has been supplementing efforts of the States/UTs by providing financial and technical assistance for abatement of pollution in identified stretches of rivers in the country through the Central Sector Scheme of NamamiGange for rivers in Ganga basin, and Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) for other rivers. Details of funds allocated and utilized/released for cleaning of rivers in the country during last five years are as below:-

(inRs.crore)

Funds are reported to be not optimally utilized for various reasons, including delay in award of works, land acquisition issues, prevailing site conditions, contractual and labour problems, approvals/clearances required from regulatory agencies, etc. leading to delays in project implementation.