India-led Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA) launched at COP-28 in Dubai

1. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has signed a Memorandum of Common Purpose (MoCP) with Mississippi RiverCities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI), representing 124 cities/towns situated along banks of Mississippi River, USA.
2. This led to launch of GRCA, as the current River Cities Alliance (RCA) has now expanded its strength to membership of 267 global river-cities including India (142 River cities), USA and Denmark.
3. Modeled on lines of India’s RCA, GRCA’s secretarial role would be served by NMCG under Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and National Institute for Urban Affairs (NIUA) under Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
4. RCA, established in 2021 by NMCG, is a joint initiative of MoJS & MoHUA to connect river cities and focus on sustainable river
   centric development

Significances of RCA

1. Making river basin cities water-sensitive for improved river
   health.
2. Strengthen governance of river cities and improve their liveability
   to attract external economic investments.
3. Promotes Urban River Management Plans and city-specific
   sectoral strategies for sustainable urban river management.
4. Support member cities in implementation of SDG6-Clean Water and Sanitation

About NMCG

1. It was registered as a society in 2011 under
   Societies Registration Act 1860.
2. It acts as implementation arm of National Ganga
3. River Basin Authority (NGRBA) which was
   constituted under Environment (Protection) Act
   (EPA) 1986