Recent assessments indicate notable progress in the Government’s efforts to clean and rejuvenate the river Ganga. The five Ganga main-stem States collectively generate around 10,160 MLD of sewage, against which 7,820 MLD of treatment capacity is currently available. Projects totalling 1,996 MLD are under various stages of completion to bridge the existing gap.

The Central Pollution Control Board monitors water quality at 112 locations across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. As per its 2025 Polluted River Stretch report, several stretches of the Ganga have shown improvement since 2018. Uttarakhand’s previously identified polluted segment has been removed from the list, while stretches in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar show partial or marginal improvement. Jharkhand continues to register no polluted stretches, and West Bengal has recorded a shift from Priority III to Priority V, indicating improvement.

Based on 2025 data (January to August), the river meets bathing criteria for pH and Dissolved Oxygen at all monitored locations. Biochemical Oxygen Demand standards are met across the entire stretch in Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal, with exceptions in identified pockets of Uttar Pradesh. Biomonitoring at 76 locations along the Ganga and Yamuna systems shows biological water quality ranging from ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’, indicating a healthy ecological potential.

Over the last five financial years, the National Mission for Clean Ganga has sanctioned 69 projects worth Rs 1174.1 million, creating 2,161 MLD of additional capacity. Physical achievements have advanced steadily, supported by annual fund allocations and disbursements. In 2024–25, 612 MLD of capacity was delivered against the 473 MLD target, while in 2025–26 (till late November) 83 MLD has been achieved.

The Government has adopted a technology-driven strategy integrating innovations such as the Hybrid Annuity Model, a 15-year operations and maintenance framework, and interception-and-diversion methods for sewage management. River Basin Management has been strengthened through a dedicated unit focusing on plastic waste, climate resilience and disaster-risk considerations.

Enhanced monitoring uses LiDAR and drone surveys to map drains, parametric surveillance of STPs, and CCTV-enabled oversight. Public disclosure of STP performance strengthens accountability. Urban River Management Plans are being prepared to guide river-sensitive master planning, aided by newly created Centres of Excellence working on decision-support tools, digital twins and pollutant characterisation.

Nature-based solutions form a key component of the rejuvenation strategy, with initiatives focusing on wetland restoration, higher order streams, floodplain rejuvenation and enhanced riparian habitats. These measures support base-flow maintenance, groundwater recharge and biodiversity.

NMCG continues to evolve into a national template for integrated river rejuvenation, moving from isolated interventions to a basin-wide, sustainable, and circular-economy-driven approach. Current priorities include saturating sewage treatment capacity across the Ganga main stem and major tributaries, ecological restoration using nature-based solutions, and comprehensive urban and basin governance frameworks.