No untreated waste in Ganga by 2020: Manmohan Singh

Asserting that the UPA government was committed to cleaning up the Ganga, prime minister Manmohan Singh today said no untreated waste and industrial effluents would flow into the river by the year 2020.

"Under 'Mission Clean Ganga', it would be ensured that by 2020 no untreated municipal sewage and industrial effluents flow into the Ganga," Singh said in the Report to the People on completion of one year of the UPA's second term in office.

He said the investment required for the mission would be shared "suitably" between the Centre and the state governments  concerned.
 
The prime minister said an empowered steering committee has been constituted for appraisal and sanction of projects on a fast track basis. 

Projects for approximately Rs1,390 crore have been approved so far.

The Centre had recently set up a Ganga River Basin Authority to monitor the implementation of the clean up project and other development schemes.

Singh said discussions have been initiated for long-term support of the World Bank and a project preparation facility from the international body has been approved.