State Workshop on Preparation of Urban River Management Plans (URMP) in the state of Jharkhand

Government of India

Skip to Main Content

Government of India

State Workshop on Preparation of Urban River Management Plans (URMP) in the state of Jharkhand

July 8, 2025

About the Event

20th August 2025 marked a landmark moment for river-sensitive urban planning in Jharkhand as 14 River Cities Alliance-member cities and 14 state departments came together at the State URMP Workshop. Jharkhand is now on its way to prepare Urban River Management Plans (URMPs) for five cities: Ranchi, Adityapur, Chas, Dhanbad, and Sahibganj-Rajmahal.

Shri Suraj Kumar IAS, Program Director, SMCG and Director, SUDA, delivered the welcome address and later played an important role by moderating several sessions, where municipal representatives shared local priorities, challenges, and ambitions. Shri Nalin Srivastava, Deputy Director General, NMCG, shared key insights on how the URMP initiative was being scaled across the country and emphasised the importance of state-level ownership in ensuring long-term impact. The national perspective was shared by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital IAS, Director General, NMCG, who outlined the central role of cities in achieving river health goals across the Ganga basin. Further insights came from Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Former DG, NMCG and Chief Advisor, Water & Environment, NIUA, who joined virtually to reflect on the evolution of the URMP framework and encourage cities to take proactive ownership of their rivers.

Also in attendance was Shri Sunil Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Urban Development & Housing Department, Government of Jharkhand, who delivered the Special Address. He provided a clear and compelling roadmap for how Jharkhand will move forward with the URMP process, and affirmed the state’s commitment to becoming a model for river-centric urban planning.

RCA was introduced by Mr. Rahul Sachdeva (NIUA) and Ms. Ishleen Kaur (NIUA), who showcased the tools, frameworks, and peer network that member cities can leverage. Practical guidance on URMP preparation was offered by Ms. Simranpreet Kaur (NIUA), which was followed by an address by Sh. Manu Bhatnagar, representing Alluvium India — the selected technical partner supporting the URMP preparation in the five Jharkhand cities.

As Jharkhand begins this important journey, the strong leadership from the state and active participation from cities signal a solid foundation for transformative action on urban rivers.