New Delhi: The Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Scheme, 2021-31, is being implemented to remove sediment from reservoirs and improve the river ecosystem. The project is primarily the responsibility of the states, urban local bodies, and industrial units to ensure the proper treatment of sewage and industrial effluent before discharging it into rivers and other water bodies, a PIB press release stated.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti is supplementing the efforts of the states and union territories by providing financial and technical assistance for cleaning up the pollution of rivers. The funding is being provided through the Central Sector Scheme of Namami Gange for the Ganga River and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).
Under the Namami Gange scheme, 467 projects including 200 for sewage treatment of 6217.15 million litres per day (MLD) and a sewer network of 5282.39 kilometres have been sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 39,080.70 crore. So far, the sewerage treatment capacity of 3241.55 MLD has been created. Under the NRCP scheme, 53 rivers in 98 towns spread over 17 states have been covered with a sanctioned cost of Rs. 8649.67 crore. The inter-alia sewage treatment capacity of 2910.50 million litres per day (MLD) has been created.
The government is committed to cleaning up the rivers and improving the river ecosystem. The DRIP Scheme will play a key role in this direction. By removing sediment from reservoirs and improving the river ecosystem, the project will help in improving the overall health of the rivers and increasing the productivity of the fisheries and other river-related activities.
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