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category Biodiversity preservation Governance News Planning
On the occasion of the 22nd International Euro-INBO Conference, held in Parma from 19 to 23 May 2025, we interviewed Rajiv Ranjan MISHRA, former Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (India) and water expert.
What is the National Mission for Clean Ganga?
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), established in 2011 under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 and operating under the authority of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the National Ganga Council chaired by the Prime Minister, is the national body responsible for implementing the Namami Gange programme launched in 2014.
It carries out actions to clean and restore the Ganges across five main areas: wastewater treatment, rural sanitation, riverbank rehabilitation, biodiversity protection, and reforestation. It follows a river basin management approach, taking into account the entire river and its tributaries. In practice, this involves cleaning secondary rivers, upgrading sewer networks, creating buffer zones to filter runoff water, and engaging local communities in restoration projects.
Ganga River Basin
in key figures:
Who is Rajiv Ranjan MISHRA?
Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, former Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga and co-author of Ganga: Reimagining, Rejuvenating, Reconnecting, is a leading water expert who played a key role in shaping the Namami Gange programme into an integrated, multi-sectoral model for river rejuvenation in India. Now retired, he continues to advise institutions such as the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), contributing his expertise in river basin management, urban river planning, climate-resilient cities, and water-sensitive urban design, and remains active in advancing water and sustainability initiatives nationally and internationally.