On September 24, 2014 Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi gave its approval for establishment of the Clean Ganga Fund (CGF) with voluntary contributions from residents of India  and Non-Resident Indian (NRIs)/Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and others to harness their enthusiasm to contribute towards the conservation of the river Ganga.

Domestic donors to the Fund shall be eligible for tax benefits as applicable in the case of the Swachh Bharat Kosh.

The Fund would be managed by a Trust to be headed by Finance Minister.

The secretariat of the Trust will be set up in Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Mission Director, Clean Ganga.

From the Fund, following broad activities will be financed:

a) Activities outlined under the ‘Namami Gange’ programme for cleaning of river Ganga.

b) Control of non-point pollution from agricultural runoff, human defecation, cattle wallowing, etc.

c) Setting up of waste treatment and disposal plants along the river around the cities.

d) Conservation of the biotic diversity of the river.

e) Community based activities to reduce polluting human interface with the river.

f) Development of public amenities including activities such as Ghat redevelopment.

g) Research and Development and innovative projects.

h) Research and Development projects and innovative projects for new technology and processes for cleaning the river.

i) Independent oversight through intensive monitoring and real time reporting.

j) Any other activity as approved by the Trust.

Considering that the measures taken till now are inadequate and a national effort is required to mobilize resources for improving the condition of the river Ganga, GoI announced the setting up of an Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission called "Namami Gange" and an initial sum of Rs. 2,037 crore has been allocated in the Union Budget 2014-15.

The Ganga Action Plan was launched on 14th January 1986 with the main objective of pollution abatement, to improve water quality by interception, diversion and treatment of domestic sewage and toxic and industrial chemical wastes present, from identified grossly polluting units entering in to the river.

GoI announced the "Mission Clean Ganga" project on 31st December, 2009 with the objective that by 2020, no municipal sewage and industrial waste would be released in the river without treatment, with the total budget of around Rs.15,000 crore.

GoI also established the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), chaired by PM, with the objective to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga, by adopting a river basin approach for comprehensive planning and management.

The proposal to set up CGF is to attract private contributions globally for increasing people`s participation in this massive task. As this would also cover NRIs, CGF would also fulfil the Budget announcement in the Regular Budget 2014-15.

Considering that the measures taken till now are not adequate and a national effort is required to mobilize resources for improving the condition of the river Ganga, GoI has announced the setting up of an Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission called "Namami Gange".