New Delhi, Oct 8 — Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil on Thursday highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision on integrating water into education with school curricular carrying water-specific content and higher educational institutions offering water management and governance courses.
Chairing the 20th Meeting of the Empowered Task Force (ETF), Paatil emphasised that such academic initiatives can contribute to building a strong knowledge base and a cadre of professionals equipped to address the ecological, social, cultural, economic and policy dimensions of river management.
He said that the courses may be promoted at the city and state levels for river professionals and students, and students undertaking these courses may be considered for river-related assignments in cities.
He reiterated the Union government's commitment towards holistic river rejuvenation and reviewed the progress of the Namami Gange Programme.
The Union Minister also led deliberations on key interventions aimed at accelerating river rejuvenation, including improved sewage infrastructure, scientific water management, safe reuse of treated wastewater, ecological restoration, groundwater management, nature-based solutions and enhanced coordination among stakeholders.
The meeting reviewed the status of sewage infrastructure, detailed project report (DPR) preparation and appraisal, land availability, safe reuse of treated wastewater (SRTW), aquifer mapping, wetlands, City Sanitation Action Plans (CSAP), aerial drainage mapping and regular meetings of State Ganga Committees, an official statement said.
It was told that the revised DPR for the Barauni Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has been received and sent to IIT-BHU for appraisal, while the DPR for Shantipur STPs in West Bengal has been approved by the Executive Committee.
Bihar and West Bengal have notified their policies on reuse of treated wastewater, while Jharkhand is in the process of obtaining State Cabinet approval.
The meeting reviewed the overall status of projects under the Namami Gange Programme and the programme's performance during FY 2025-26.
As of August 2026, 527 projects have been sanctioned at a total cost of Rs 43,266 crore, of which 368 projects have been completed.
Under sewerage infrastructure, 219 projects have been sanctioned, creating a treatment capacity of 6,603 MLD along with a sewer network of 5,245 km.
Of these, 147 projects have been completed, creating 4,339 MLD of sewage treatment capacity and completing 4,615 km of sewer network.
The meeting was also joined by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Chaudhary; Department of Water Resources Secretary, Archana Varma; Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Secretary Ashok K.K Meena and Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) Rajeev Kumar Mital.