NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday signed an agreement with German agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) for the rejuvenation of the Ganga river under the 'Namami Gange' project.
The agreement was signed here between the ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation and GIZ, which represents the German government in development cooperation across the world.
"The agreement's objective is to enable responsible stakeholders at the national and state levels to apply integrated river basin management approach for the Ganga river's rejuvenation," a water resources ministry statement said.
"It will be based on knowledge exchange and practical experience of both countries on strategic river basin management issues, effective data management system and public engagement," it added.
"The project will closely cooperate with other national and international initiatives, including bilateral projects like Support to National Urban Sanitation Policy and Sustainable Environment-friendly Industrial Production," the statement said.
The German contribution to the 2016-2018 project will be Rs.22.5 crore. Initial actions will focus on Uttarakhand, with a scope to expand it to other states upstream of the Ganga river.
The ultimate goal is to adopt the successful river basin management strategies used for Rhine and Danube rivers in Germany and replicate the same for the Ganga, the statement said.