National River of India (Ganga) - Reason for Declaration, Origin, Facts And More

The National River of India is the Ganga river. It is India's most significant and famous river. Before draining into the seas of the Bay of Bengal through the Sunderbans delta, the biggest mangrove system in the world, it courses through five states in the northern plains from its glacier source in the high Himalayas. On November 4, 2008, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared the Ganga River to be the official river of India. Since then, it has been a part of the National Symbols of India.

The National River of India is one of the most important topics for the UPSC IAS exam. It covers a significant part of the geography subject in the Mains General Studies Paper-1 syllabus and General Studies Paper-1 of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.

This article provides an overview of all Details of the Origin and significance of the Ganga River System for the IAS Exam. In this post, you may learn everything you need to know about the Ganga River System.

Also, check Ken Betwa River Linking Project (KBLP) here.

What Is The National River Of India?

The Ganga River is the longest in India and measures over 2,525 kilometres in length. It was named the national river of our country by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2008. In order to achieve the objectives of the Ganga Action Plan, which Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi began in 1985, he took this action. Cleanup is the main goal of this Ganga action plan. The fundamental issue with this entire plan was municipal sewage. Under the PM's leadership, the Ganga River Basin Authority was founded to increase the river's cleanup efforts.

Additionally crucial were integrated pollution control, sustainable water usage, and flood management. Sewage waste, industrial waste, and several other toxins continue to have an impact on the river. Some of the industries that hurt the environment the most are pulp and paper mills, distilleries, sugar mills, and tanneries. A committee has been set up by the Narendra Modi administration to make recommendations for maintaining an unbroken flow for electricity projects and any potential ecological balance.

Study the article on the Eastern and Western Ghats of India here.

Reason for Declaration of River Ganga as National River of India

The designation of the Ganga River as the National River of India was driven by several reasons, including:

• Cultural and Religious Significance: The Ganga holds immense cultural and religious importance in India. Hindus consider it sacred and associated with numerous rituals and traditions.
• Historical Legacy: The Ganga has been pivotal in India's history, closely intertwined with ancient civilizations, trade, and cultural development.
• Biodiversity and Ecology: The Ganga River basin hosts diverse ecosystems and habitats. Recognizing it as a National River can prioritise conservation efforts and sustainable management practices.
• Economic Importance: The Ganga River basin supports agriculture, fisheries, and industries, contributing significantly to the country's economy.
• Environmental Protection: Declaring the Ganga as a National River can lead to heightened environmental awareness and efforts to combat pollution and degradation.
• Tourism and Heritage: The Ganga River attracts millions of tourists each year. Recognizing it as a National River highlights its significance as a tourist attraction and cultural heritage site.
• Symbol of Unity: The Ganga River flows through multiple states. It serves as a unifying symbol that connects various regions and communities in India.
• Government Initiatives: The Indian government's emphasis on the Namami Gange program underscores the importance of revitalizing the Ganga and preserving its ecological and cultural value.
• International Image: Recognizing the Ganga as a National River enhances India's international image. It showcases its commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development.

Ganga River Basin Authority

Ganga River Basin Authority was established in 2009 under the Environment Protection Act 1986. Under which the River Ganga was also declared the ‘National River of India.’ It is funding, planning, implementing, monitoring, and coordinating authority for Ganga under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. In 2014 it was transferred from MoEF to the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The Prime Minister is its chairman. In 2016, it was changed to National Ganga Council (NGC).

Also, check out the West Flowing Rivers of India here.

Origin Of The National River Of India

The National River of India, the Ganges River, originates in the Himalayas Mountains near Gomukh, the terminal of the Gangotri Glacier. The Bhagirathi River's clear waters are formed when this glacier's ice melts. The Bhagirathi River officially becomes the Ganges River when it joins the Alaknanda River as it runs over the Himalayas. The Bhagirath and Alaknanda rivers combine in Devprayag in Garhwal to produce the Ganga, the main river. The Alaknanda is a longer river than the Bhagirathi River. 

The Gangotri Himalayan glacier, at the base of which the river Bhagirathi rises, contains a subglacial meltwater tunnel where it begins to flow at around 10,000 feet, or roughly 3,000 meters above sea level. Hindu pilgrims visit the sacred site of the Gangotri River itself. It is believed that Gaumukh, which is around 13 miles or approximately 21 kilometres southeast of Gangotri, is the actual source of the Ganges. 

Also, study the Types of rainfall here.

Ganga National Plan

• The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) is one of the most comprehensive and long-term government initiatives that has considerably impacted India’s water pollution policy.
• The Ganga Action Plan was launched in 1986 to reduce pollution in the Ganga River.
• The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) is a government-funded initiative. The National River Ganga Basin Authority was founded under this concept, and Ganga was proclaimed a national river of India.
• The general design and execution of GAP have been delegated to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
• The Environment Protection Act 1986 established the Central Ganga Authority (CGA), led by India’s Prime Minister.

Also, check the article on International Conference on Ground Water here

National Mission for Clean Ganga

• This project is an integrated conservation mission, approved as a flagship program by the Union Government in June 2014 to accomplish the twin objectives of
  • Effective reduction of pollution.
  • Conservation and rejuvenation of the national river Ganga.
• The project aims to create a high-resolution DEM and GIS-ready database for a section of the Ganga using cutting-edge technologies.
• The mapping of Ganga’s mainstream in five important states, namely Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal, has been suggested, including significant towns and cities along the river Ganga and its tributaries in these states with an area of 250,000 square kilometres.
• The project is underway, with numerous outsourced operations and procurement conducted via open e-tendering by Government of India procurement norms.
• The Societies Registration Act 1860 registered it as a society on August 12, 2011.
• It served as the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) implementation arm, established under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1986.

Check the factors controlling temperature distribution here!

National River Of India: Facts For UPSC

• The national and the most ancient river of India is Ganga, or in English, we call it the Ganges.
• It is India’s longest river, flowing over 2,510 km of mountains, hills, valleys, and plains.
• The river also contains many living creatures, including reptiles and mammals. These include critically endangered species, such as the gharial and South Asian river dolphin which are very vulnerable.
• Recently, the government launched a new plan known as the Ganga Action Plan.
• This plan is an environmental initiative to clean up the river and has been considered a failure in its task, which is variously related or attributed to corruption.
• Also, there needs to be more will in the government of India. The technologies and techniques could be better.
• The planning of the environment and a lack of support from the native religious authorities and the government has led to devastating effects on Ganga.
• This holy river originates in the snowfields of the Gangotri Glacier, which is situated in the Himalayas as the Bhagirathi River.
• On its journey to the land, it is joined by other rivers, such as the Alaknanda, the Yamuna, the Son, the Gumti, the Kosi, and the Ghagra.
• The Ganges is India's most sacred and most prayed river by Hindus. Mythologically it is also worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.
• Ganga's river has a basin and is one of the world's most fertile and densely populated areas.
• It covers an area which is approximately 1,000,000 sq. km.
• Two dams are constructed on the river – one in Haridwar in India and the other at Farakka.
• The dolphins of the Ganges River are an endangered species; instead, there are many more that specifically inhibit this river.
• This river is important according to life and nurturing and has also been important historically.
• Many other former provincial capitals, such as Pataliputra, the state of Kannauj, the Kara, the Munger, the Kashi, and many others, are located on its banks or the banks of tributaries and connected waterways.
• The religious people of Hindu dharma revere the river Ganga as the most sacred river on this planet.
• The key religious ceremonies are held on the banks of the river, and this river is considered very pure in cities such as Varanasi, Haridwar, and Allahabad.
• On its way later, the Ganga widens out into the Ganges Delta in the Sundarbans swamp of the state of Bangladesh; it does so before it ends its journey by emptying into the area of the Bay of Bengal.

Key Takeaways from National River of India Ganga

• The River Ganga, or the Ganges, is officially declared the National River of our country.
• It is said to be one of the major rivers in the Indian subcontinent. Hindus revere the Ganga as the most sacred and prayed river on earth.
• Mythologically in Hindu belief, the Ganges is associated with the Goddess Ganga. According to the myth of the legends, the sage Bhargava underwent extreme austerities to bring the divine Ganga down to the planet to cleanse the impurities of his ancestors.
• We are delighted by his devotion. It is believed that goddess Ganga came rushing down with such immense force that her crashing waters threatened and destroyed and caused the earth's devastation.
• But the lord Shiva at that time cushioned her fall in his matted hair and tied in it until the flow subsided.
• The prominent festivals and occasions are the mela of Kumbh, the celebration every 12 years at its bank of Allahabad, and a very important festival known as Chhat Puja, organized annually on its banks.

Testbook provides a set of comprehensive notes for different competitive exams. Testbook is always on the top of the list because of its best quality assured products like live tests, mocks, Content pages, GK and current affairs videos, and much more. To study more topics for UPSC, download the Testbook App now.

National River Of India: Facts For UPSC

• The national and the most ancient river of India is Ganga, or in English, we call it the Ganges.
• It is India’s longest river in this country, flowing over 2,510 km of mountains, hills, valleys, and plains.
• The river also contains many living creatures, including reptiles and mammals. These include critically endangered species, such as the gharial and South Asian river dolphin which are very vulnerable.
• Recently, the government launched a new plan known as the Ganga Action Plan.
• This plan is an environmental initiative to clean up the river and has been considered a failure in its task, which is variously related or attributed to corruption.
• Also, there needs to be more will in the government of India. The technologies and techniques could be better.
• The planning of the environment and a lack of support from the native religious authorities and the government has led to devastating effects on Ganga.
• This holy river originates in the snowfields of the Gangotri Glacier, which is situated in the Himalayas as the Bhagirathi River.
• On its journey to the land, it is joined by other rivers, such as the Alaknanda, the Yamuna, the Son, the Gumti, the Kosi, and the Ghagra.
• The Ganges is India's most sacred and most prayed river by Hindus. Mythologically it is also worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.
• The river Ganga has its basin and is one of the world's most fertile and densely populated areas.
• It covers an area which is approximately 1,000,000 sq. km.
• Two dams are constructed on the river – one in Haridwar in India and the other at Farakka.
• The dolphins of the Ganges River are an endangered species; instead, there are many more that specifically inhibit this river.
• This river is important according to life and nurturing and has also been important historically.
• Many other former provincial capitals, such as Pataliputra, the state of Kannauj, the Kara, the Munger, the Kashi, and many others, are located on its banks or the banks of tributaries and connected waterways.
• The river Ganga is revered by the religious people of Hindu dharma as the most sacred river on this planet.
• The key religious ceremonies are held on the banks of the river, and this river is considered very pure in cities such as Varanasi, Haridwar, and Allahabad.
• The Ganga, on its way later, widens out into the Ganges Delta in the Sundarbans swamp of the state of Bangladesh; it does so before it ends its journey by emptying into the area of the Bay of Bengal.