Implementation Of Namami Gange programme

Ganga Task Force deployed Ganga Gram Yojana launched

• As a major initiative towards fast track implementation of Namami Gange Programme the first company of Ganga Task force Battalion was deployed at Garhmukteshwar

• Three such companies will be deployed soon at Kanpur, Varanasi and Allahabad.
• The Jawans of the Ganga Task force will be deployed on the banks of the river Ganga to ensure that industry and civilians do not pollute the river.

Ganga Gram Yojana

• Ganga Gram Yojana was also launched at Village Puth in Hapur district of U.P.
• 1600 villages situated along the banks of river Ganga will be developed under this scheme.
• In the first phase of the progamme 200 villages have been selected. In these villages open drains falling into river Ganga will be diverted and alternative arrangements for sewage treatment will be made.
• The villages will have toilets in every house hold. It is proposed to incur and expenditure of Rs. One crore on every village.
• These villages will be developed under the Sichewal model. It may be noted that Sichewal is situated in Punjab, where cooperation of the villagers has been solicited for the water management and waste disposal in a meticulous way.

A paradigm shift in the approach for faster implementation under ‘Namami Gange’ programme

• The Union Cabine has approved the proposal for taking up Hybrid Annuity based Public Private Partnership (PPP) model under Namami Gange Programme
• It has been adopted to ensure performance, efficiency, viability and sustainability. In this model, a part of the capital investment (upto 40%) will be paid by government through construction linked milestones and the balance through an annuity over the contract duration upto 20 years.

Background:

• It had been observed that benefits accrued from substantial investments made under various past programmes (Ganga Action Plan I & II, NGRBA, Yamuna Action Plan) were less than optimal.
• According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), almost 30% of the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) monitored in the 4 states of UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar & West Bengal were not operational and 94% were non-compliant with the prescribed effluent standards.
• Cabinet’s approval addresses the above issues that acted as road blocks for all previous efforts to clean river Ganga.
• The approval paves the road ahead for complete reform in the wastewater sector in India, implementation of projects in a fast track mode and ensure effective utilisation of funds released under 100% funded ‘Namami Gange’ – central sector scheme.

An SPV established

• Keeping in view the specialized nature of this model and to scale it up in future on sustainable basis, the Government is establishing a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)
• The functions of the SPV are

1. to plan, structure,
2. procure concessionaires,
3. monitor implementation of such PPP projects and
4. develop market for treated waste water

• through appropriate policy advocacy under overall guidance of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
• The SPV will be established under Indian Companies Act 2013 for providing required governance framework and enabling functional autonomy.
• The SPV would enter into a Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with participating State Governments and concerned Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) for taking up individual projects.
• These MoAs will aim at introducing reforms and regulatory measures for recovery of user charges on Polluters Pay principle, restrictions on usage of ground & fresh water for non-potable purposes through stricter monitoring and guidelines that promote re¬use of treated wastewater.
• The Ministry in a first of its kind has already entered into an MoU with Ministries of Railways, for purchase of treated water from STPs wherever feasible to facilitate faster market development for treated wastewater. Similar MoUs are also being worked out with other Ministries of Power, Petroleum, Industries etc.

Significance

• This is a futuristic step taken by the Government where the market development for treated waste water and structural reforms are complementing the projects.
• This will help taking up more number of projects with the same allocation as made available under Namami Gange programme with reduced financial liability in the initial years.
• Spreading the stakes of the private participant over the entire period of concession would ensure continued operations over long-term.
• Linking of performance standards with the annuities will ensure desired objective of treated water of appropriate standard.
• It would help gradual capacity building of the Urban Local Bodies by setting ground for recovery of user charges on Polluter Pays Principle.
• Development of the market for treated water will lead to reduced demand on riverine fresh-water and will result in enhanced flows in river Ganga.
• These steps would also kick-start the process of responsible use of water in general and go a long way in mitigating the projected water shortage in the country.