The Central Government has decided to give Ganga the Status of a ‘National River’ and set up a ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority’ as an empowered planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Ganga River under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Authority is chaired by the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers of the Ganga main stem States and various Union Ministers as members. The Authority has been vested with appropriate powers to carry out its functions to ensure effective abatement of pollution and conservation of river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach as well as to maintain minimum ecological flows in the river Ganga with the aim of ensuring Water Quality and Sustainable Development.