The main objectives of the Ganga Action Plan are abatement of the pollution of the river to improve the river water quality by interception and diversion of the drains and sewers falling into the river, treatment of the domestic sewage to make it innocuous for disposal in the environment, to effect resource recovery where ever feasible, prevention of toxic and hazardous wastes from identified industrial units from entering in to the river, control of non point pollution of the river from human activities, defecation, cattle bathing, throwing of unburned or half burnt dead bodies and agriculture runoff etc. to conserve the bio-diversity of the river and to have an integrated river basin management approach, to under take research in consonance with the above objectives and to gain experience for taking up similar Action Plans for grossly polluted stretches of other rivers.

On the basis of surveys conducted, project profiles and Detailed Project Reports were framed by the State agencies to achieve the above objectives. The schemes were categorized as Core sector schemes and Non core sector schemes. Interception and diversion of point sources of river pollution by domestic waste water including construction and rehabilitation of interception sewers and pumping stations and construction of sewage treatment plants with emphasis on resource recovery were included in Core sector. Low cost sanitation, installation of improved crematoria, river front development and miscellaneous activates such as water quality monitoring, research of development, community participation through awareness programs and management of wastes from grossly polluting industries, etc., were included in Non core sector.