Performance Audit of Rejuvenation of River Ganga (Namami Gange), Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation

Findings

1. Only eight to 63 per cent of funds were used against the revised estimate over 2014-15 to 2016-17, and ₹2,133.76 crore was lying unutilised with the National Mission for Clean Ganga as on 31 March 2017.

   “Only eight to 63 per cent of the funds were utilised during 2014-15 to 2016-17, as compared to Revised Estimate. Funds amounting to ₹ 2,133.76 crore, ₹ 422.13 crore and ₹ 59.28 crore were lying unutilised with National Mission for Clean Ganga, various State Programme Management Groups and Executing Agencies/ Central Public Sector Undertakings respectively as on 31 March 2017.”Executive Summary

2. The Clean Ganga Fund held a corpus of ₹198.14 crore as on 31 March 2017 and not a rupee of it had been used, because no action plan had been finalised.

   “A corpus of ₹ 198.14 crore (as of 31 March 2017) was available in the Clean Ganga Fund. However, National Mission for Clean Ganga could not utilize any amount out of the Clean Ganga Fund and the entire amount was lying in banks due to non-finalization of action plan.”Executive Summary

3. The long-term action plans were not finalised more than six and a half years after the agreement with the consortium of IITs, so there was no river basin management plan more than eight years after the National Ganga River Basin Authority was notified.

   “National Mission for Clean Ganga could not finalise the long-term action plans even after more than six and half years of signing of agreement with the consortium of Indian Institutes of Technology. As a result, National Mission for Clean Ganga does not have a river basin management plan even after a lapse of more than eight years of National Ganga River Basin Authority notification.”Executive Summary

4. Of 154 detailed project reports from 2014-15 to 2016-17, only 71 were approved — 70 of those after delays of 26 to 1,140 days — and 54 of the rest sat pending at the mission for 120 to 780 days.

   “Out of 154 Detailed Project Reports pertaining to 2014-15 to 2016-17, only 71 Detailed Project Reports were approved. Of these 71 Detailed Project Reports, 70 were approved after delays ranging from 26 to 1,140 days. Out of remaining 83 Detailed Project Reports, 54 were pending at National Mission of Clean Ganga level for a period ranging from 120 to 780 days.”Executive Summary

5. All sewage treatment plant works were to be awarded by September 2016; as of August 2017 the mission had still not approved project reports for 1,397 MLD of capacity.

   “As per the target dates, award for the work of all the Sewage Treatment Plants was to be completed by September 2016. National Mission for Clean Ganga is yet to finalise and approve Detailed Project Reports for projects totalling 1,397 MLD capacity as of August 2017.”Executive Summary

6. Of 46 sewage treatment, interception and diversion and canal projects costing ₹5,111.36 crore, 26 costing ₹2,710.14 crore were delayed.

   “Out of 46 Sewage Treatment Plants, Interception & Diversion projects and Canal works costing ₹ 5,111.36 crore, there were delays in 26 projects costing ₹ 2,710.14 crore due to delay in execution of projects, non-availability of land, slow progress of work by contractors and under-utilisation of Sewage Treatment Plants.”Executive Summary

7. Of ₹951.11 crore released for household latrines, awareness work and solid and liquid waste management in five states, only ₹490.15 crore was used, and solid and liquid waste management was not taken up at all in the identified districts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

   “Against the total funds of ₹ 951.11 crore released by National Mission for Clean Ganga and State Governments for activities relating to construction of Individual Household Latrines, Information, Education and Communication and Solid Liquid Waste Management, the five States namely Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal could utilise a sum of ₹ 490.15 crore only… Solid Liquid Waste Management activities were not taken up in any of the identified districts of the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.”Executive Summary

8. Staffing ran 44 to 65 per cent short at the National Mission for Clean Ganga over 2014-17 and 20 to 89 per cent short in the state programme management groups, and no proposal was made to strengthen them.

   “There was overall shortage of manpower, ranging from 44 to 65 per cent during 2014-15 to 2016-17 in National Mission for Clean Ganga. In SPMGs, the overall shortage ranged between 20 to 89 per cent. National Mission for Clean Ganga did not initiate any proposal for strengthening the human resources of State Programme Management Groups.”Executive Summary

9. Enforcement fell short of its own mandate — of 5,016 compliance verifications due at 988 grossly polluting industries over 2011-17, 3,163 were done; of 560 mandatory inspections of 67 sewage treatment plants, 177.

   “Against 5,016 compliance verifications required to be conducted by Central Pollution Control Board in respect of 988 Grossly Polluting Industries, only 3,163 compliance verifications were conducted during 2011-17… Against the mandatory 560 inspections to be carried out for performance evaluation of 67 Sewage Treatment Plants, only 177 were carried out as of August 2017.”Executive Summary

Fact-checks citing this report

• ◑Lacks contextBJP commits to ensure the cleanliness, purity and uninterrupted flow of the Ganga on priority. In addition, a massive 'Clean Rivers Programme' will be launched across the country driven by people's participation.
• ◑Lacks contextNamami Gange: A matter of Pride. We are committed to ensure a clean and uninterrupted flow of river Ganga from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar. We will ensure that the sewerage infrastructure to deal with 100% of the waste water from the Ganga towns is completed and is functioning effectively, and take steps to enhance the river flow… Achieve the goal of Clean Ganga by 2022.