Comprehensive law for rejuvenation of river Ganga under consideration: Uma Bharti

NEW DELHI: Government is considering the need to draft a "comprehensive" legislation for rejuvenation of river Ganga, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Union Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Uma Bharti shared the information responding to questions including ones on status of the Namami Gange programme and whether the Government proposes to enact a law to make the scheme successful.

"The need for a comprehensive legislation for rejuvenation of river Ganga is under consideration of the Ministry Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation," Bharti said in a written reply in the Upper House.

The Minister said that an inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) was earlier constituted for framing draft legislation on the National River Ganga to strengthen efforts to make the revered river pollution-free and ensure its continuous flow was established when the programme was under Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.

"Consequent upon transfer of the work to Water Resources Ministry, the IMC has been reconstituted and dialogue with the states has also been initiated," she added.

The Minister also said the government has until now sanctioned funds worth Rs 6,191.54 crore, while Rs 1,501.32 crore have been released to five states namely Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal from where Ganga passes through.

The states have spent Rs 1348.10 crore till now, the Minister said.