The River Cities Alliance (RCA) has been conceptualized to help river cities in India maintain this symbiotic relationship with their rivers. Launched in November 2021 with 30 river cities, the RCA has now expanded to 145+ cities.
In 2019, the Honorable Prime Minister highlighted the importance of cities along rivers taking responsibility for their rejuvenation. This led to the formation of the River Cities Alliance (RCA) in November 2021, initially with 30 river cities, now expanding to 142+ cities. Urban areas in India play a significant role in river degradation, making managing urban rivers an emerging paradigm.
Rivers are among the most productive natural ecosystems, providing various environmental, economic, and social benefits. Cities along the river banks or rivers flowing through them are distinctly placed to reap these benefits. For this, cities need to have a harmonious relationship with their rivers, where cities take care of rivers and in return, the rivers provide cities with manifold benefits.
The RCA is currently being managed by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Objective: To foster sustainable urban development that judiciously utilizes vital natural riverine resources.
The Centre for River Sensitive Cities was established to propel the agenda for river-sensitive urban development in India
“There is a need for new thinking for ‘River Cities’. There is a need for the residents of these cities to ask, ‘What can we do for the rivers? ‘There is a need for new river-centric thinking in planning for cities on the banks of rivers. The river health needs to be mainstreamed into the urban planning process by developing Urban River Management Plans. Cities should be responsible for rejuvenating their rivers.
The URMP is a pioneering framework designed to focus on river-centric urban management.
The plan adopts a holistic approach and aligns with broader goals of economic vitality, social equity, and environmental sustainability
The guidelines shift from fragmented approaches to a comprehensive, city-specific strategy to enhance river health and maintain rejuvenated river stretches efficiently.
The RSMP integrates diverse river components, ecosystems, and services, balancing Integrated River Basin Management with Integrated Urban Water Management
The River Cities Alliance (RCA), established as a platform for cities to exchange knowledge and learn from one another, fostering progressive action in river management.
RCA offers cities a unique opportunity to receive dedicated technical support and guidance from the NMCG, NIUA, and other partners to implement river-sensitive development initiatives.
The URMPs for the 3 cities were developed in alignment with the framework established by NMCG and NIUA, with support from city leaders, stakeholders, and sector experts
The proposed interventions treat rivers as valuable city assets, combining on-the-ground projects with strategic planning and
DHARA 2023, an annual conference was convened in Pune, Maharashtra to enable member cities to engage in discussions and develop potential learning solutions for urban river management
The event featured participation from Central and State Government dignitaries, Commissioners, think tanks, NGOs, citizens, students, young leaders, the private sector, funding agencies, and media representatives.
Announcement of preparation of URMPS for 60 cities
In a move towards dynamic river action, the NMCG-World Bank-assisted project titled “Preparation of Urban River Management Plan for 60 Ganga Basin Cities” kickstarts
Under the project, river cities from the Ganga Basin spanning across five states of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand will develop their river management plans.
The River Cities Alliance goes Global
The Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA), led by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, was launched at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
At GRCA, a Memorandum of Common Purpose (MoCP) was signed between the India-led River Cities Alliance and the USA-led Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative (MRCTI).
Varanasi, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Farrukhabad, Mirzapur, Mathura, Vrindavan, Bijnor, Moradabad, Agra, Bareilly, Etawah, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jaunpur, Kannauj, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Jhansi, Ayodhya, Pilibhit, Budaun, Rampur, Hardoi