NMCG Approves Action Plan 2025 for Urban River Rejuvenation under River Cities Alliance

In a major move to advance sustainable urban river management, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved the Action Plan 2025 under the River Cities Alliance (RCA). This plan outlines a strategic framework for capacity-building, technical support, and collaborative urban governance with an aim to incorporate river-sensitive practices into city planning. The RCA, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, now consists of 145 cities committed to rejuvenating rivers through a comprehensive, integrated approach.

Why in the News?

The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved the Action Plan 2025 for the River Cities Alliance (RCA), focusing on strengthening urban river rejuvenation efforts across India. The plan aims to integrate river-sensitive urban planning into the rapidly urbanizing cities of India, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision of sustainable development.

Action Plan 2025 Approved

• The NMCG has greenlit an ambitious roadmap for RCA cities, focusing on river-sensitive urban development for the year 2025.

Focus Areas of Action Plan

• Organizing River-Sensitive Master Planning (RSMP) training programs.
• Formulation and strengthening of Urban River Management Plans (URMPs).
• Development of technical tools, case studies, expert guidance, and knowledge-sharing platforms.

Urban River Management Plans (URMPs)

• URMPs ensure environmental, economic, and social aspects are integrated into urban river management.
• Developed by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and NMCG in 2020.
• Cities like Kanpur, Ayodhya, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Moradabad, and Bareilly have already prepared URMPs.
• Kham River Restoration Mission of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar received international recognition by the World Resources Institute.

Expansion Targets

• Development of 25 additional URMPs planned this year.
• The larger mission aims for 60 URMPs over 2–3 years.
• Supported by the World Bank and coordinated through Steering Committees in states like Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.

Special Focus on Delhi

• NMCG is leading the development of a URMP for Delhi.
• Objective: Redefining Delhi’s rivers as vital ecosystems, not just water channels.

Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building

• Events like DHARA (basin-level meets) and exposure visits to Udaipur and Hyderabad.
• River-conscious behaviour to be promoted through awareness and sensitisation programs.

Technical and Governance Strengthening

• Creation of Thematic Expert Groups.
• Advisory on vertical coordination among basin, district, and city-level plans.

Showcasing Best Practices

• Weekly case studies showcasing successful river rejuvenation initiatives.
• Launch of a new RCA website for better information dissemination.

International Engagement

• RCA’s participation at the World Economic Forum in Davos, February 2025, highlighted India’s growing global presence in urban river management.

Financial Support

• Financial advisory services will help cities mobilize resources for river-related projects.
• Benchmarking of cities under URMP framework for better performance tracking.