India’s National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved an action plan for 2025 to integrate river-sensitive urban planning into the country’s expanding cities, the Ministry of Jal Shakti said on Friday.
The plan, part of the River Cities Alliance initiative led by Jal Shakti and Housing and Urban Affairs ministries, will roll out a series of capacity-building programs, technical tools and inter-city knowledge-sharing platforms to promote sustainable urban river management.
Established in 2021, the RCA has 145 member cities and encourages comprehensive river management strategies that incorporate environmental, economic and social dimensions.
Under the newly approved roadmap, efforts will focus on embedding river-sensitive considerations into city master plans through a series of training programs across Indian states.
Focus on New Urban River Management Plans
The NMCG also announced plans to develop 25 new Urban River Management Plans this year, part of a broader goal to create 60 such plans nationwide over the next two to three years.
The initiative, supported by the World Bank, seeks to deepen river-linked urban governance. Steering committees have already been established in states such as Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
In a significant development, the NMCG will also steer the preparation of a URMP for the national capital, Delhi, positioning rivers as vital ecosystems within urban landscapes, which is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.
Other initiatives under the plan include issuance of advisories to improve coordination between basin, district and city-level management, formation of expert groups to advise on eco-friendly riverfront development and expansion of training for urban local bodies.
Capacity Building and Global Engagement
The NMCG said it would host key events like the DHARA basin-level meet and organize exposure visits to cities like Udaipur and Hyderabad to share best practices.
The action plan also includes weekly case studies, public sensitization campaigns, financial advisory services, and a new benchmarking system for member cities.
The RCA recently expanded its global engagement, showcasing India’s river rejuvenation efforts at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year.
The approval of the 2025 plan marks a “pivotal advancement” in strengthening river-sensitive urban planning, the NMCG said, and reinforces efforts to create resilient, inclusive, and water-secure urban ecosystems across India.
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