Small rivers need distinct conservation strategy, says NMCG draft framework
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) released a draft framework proposing a distinct conservation strategy for India's small rivers, separate from the approach used for major rivers such as the Ganga
The framework prioritises nature-based solutions — natural connectivity, catchment area restoration, local water storage, and ecosystem-tailored interventions — over large capital-intensive engineering works
It differentiates between rural small rivers (focused on agricultural support and ecological restoration) and urban waterways (focused on maintaining flow and managing stormwater)
The draft was developed over roughly 18 months in consultation with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, Delhi University, Wetlands International and the IUCN, with further regional consultations planned across India's zones
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) — Institutional Architecture
NMCG is the implementing authority for river conservation and rejuvenation programmes centred on the Ganga basin, and increasingly for broader river-management initiatives. It functions under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, within the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Key Details
- NMCG was registered as a society on 12 August 2011 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and was accorded the status of an "authority" in 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- It has a two-tier structure — a Governing Council and an Executive Committee — with the Executive Committee empowered to approve projects up to ₹1,000 crore
- The apex oversight body is the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (National Ganga Council), constituted in October 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, replacing the earlier National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)
The small-rivers framework is being drafted by NMCG in its wider capacity as India's principal river-rejuvenation authority, extending its institutional mandate beyond the Ganga mainstem to tributary and non-Ganga small rivers.
Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) in River Rejuvenation
Nature-based solutions are interventions that work with natural ecosystem processes — such as wetlands, floodplains and riparian buffers — rather than relying solely on engineered infrastructure (dams, concrete channels, treatment plants), to achieve environmental and water-security outcomes at typically lower capital cost.
Key Details
- NMCG has been mainstreaming NbS through its Sustainable River Rejuvenation (SRR) programme and Knowledge Sharing and Development Centre (KSDC) capacity-building initiatives
- Core NbS techniques cited for small rivers include wetland restoration, catchment area management, floodplain reconnection, and reduction of impervious surface runoff in urban stretches
- NbS approaches are also promoted internationally under the UN Sustainable Development Goals framework for water-related ecosystem restoration
The small-rivers draft explicitly favours NbS techniques such as catchment restoration and natural connectivity over conventional sewage-treatment-plant-centric engineering, reflecting a broader policy shift in India's river management approach.
Small Rivers vs. Major River Basin Management — Policy Distinction
India's major river-conservation architecture (the National River Conservation Plan and later Namami Gange) has historically concentrated on large, heavily polluted river stretches, primarily addressing point-source pollution via sewage treatment infrastructure. Small and seasonal rivers — often tributaries with lower discharge — have lacked a dedicated management framework despite their cumulative role in groundwater recharge, local irrigation and catchment hydrology.
Key Details
- The Namami Gange Programme was approved as a flagship programme in June 2014 with an outlay of ₹20,000 crore, focused on pollution abatement and rejuvenation of the Ganga
- Small rivers typically have smaller catchments and are more vulnerable to encroachment, sand mining and complete seasonal drying, requiring localised rather than basin-scale interventions
- The draft framework proposes financing small-river work by pooling funds from existing central and state water-conservation schemes rather than creating new standalone infrastructure budgets
This framework represents an acknowledgement that the Namami Gange model, designed for a large perennial river, is not directly transferable to India's numerous smaller and seasonal rivers, requiring a differentiated conservation strategy.
- NMCG registered as a society: 12 August 2011; accorded "authority" status: 2016
- National Ganga Council constituted: October 2016 (replacing NGRBA), under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- Namami Gange Programme approved: June 2014, with an outlay of ₹20,000 crore
- Draft small-rivers framework development period: approximately 18 months, involving CEEW, Delhi University, Wetlands International and IUCN
- Framework differentiates: rural small rivers (agriculture/ecology focus) vs. urban small rivers (flow maintenance/stormwater focus)
- Planned regional consultations: Pune and Guwahati, covering western, southern, eastern and northeastern zones