RAS question
The National Ganga River Basin Authority was replaced by:
Correct answer: (B) National Ganga Council (NGC).
The National Ganga River Basin Authority was replaced in 2016 by the National Council for River Ganga, commonly called the National Ganga Council, chaired by the Prime Minister.
Explanation
The National Ganga River Basin Authority, set up in 2009, did not continue as the apex body after the 2016 institutional change. The PIB release on the River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Authorities Order, 2016 says the Order created the National Council for River Ganga as an authority under the chairpersonship of the Prime Minister, in place of the existing NGRBA. That is why the National Ganga Council is the replacement body. The Press Information Bureau release also explains the implementation design: the National Mission for Clean Ganga was empowered with mission status and authority powers so it could carry out the Ganga rejuvenation mandate more effectively.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Ganga Action Plan was an earlier programme, not the 2016 institutional replacement for NGRBA.
- (C) Ganga Flood Control Board is not the body named by the 2016 PIB release as being created in place of the existing NGRBA.
- (D) The Central Water Commission is a different water-sector body, not the Prime Minister-chaired National Council for River Ganga that replaced NGRBA.
Concept
This tests environmental governance institutions under river conservation, especially the post-2016 Ganga rejuvenation framework. RAS repeats such questions because candidates must distinguish schemes, statutory-style authorities and implementation arms.