Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)?
1. River basin is the unit of planning and management.
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

The correct answer is 1 and 2 only.

To understand why, let us carefully analyze each of the three statements about the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) — a statutory body constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 by the Government of India in 2009 — and determine which ones accurately describe its key features.

Statement 1: "River basin is the unit of planning and management." ✅ CORRECT

This is one of the most fundamental and defining features of the NGRBA. Unlike earlier approaches that focused on stretches of the river in isolation, the NGRBA adopted a river basin approach. This means the entire Ganga river basin — encompassing all tributaries, sub-tributaries, wetlands, and the surrounding catchment area — is treated as a single, integrated unit for the purposes of planning, management, and conservation. This holistic approach ensures that pollution, land use, and ecological concerns are addressed in a comprehensive and coordinated manner across all states within the basin. Hence, Statement 1 is a verified, key feature of NGRBA and is correct.

Statement 2: "It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level." ✅ CORRECT

The NGRBA was specifically empowered to lead and coordinate Ganga conservation at the national level. It serves as the apex body responsible for planning, financing, monitoring, and coordinating conservation activities across all the Ganga basin states (Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal). Before NGRBA, conservation efforts were fragmented. The NGRBA consolidated this responsibility under one national-level authority, giving it the power to direct and superintend all activities related to the abatement of pollution and the rejuvenation of the Ganga river. Hence, Statement 2 is also a verified, key feature and is correct.

Statement 3: "One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis." ❌ INCORRECT

This statement is factually wrong and is the reason the answer is not "1, 2 and 3." The Prime Minister of India is the ex-officio Chairperson of the NGRBA — not a Chief Minister on a rotational basis. The Union Cabinet Ministers for Environment, Water Resources, Finance, and others are members, and the Chief Ministers of the five Ganga basin states are also members of the authority. However, the chairmanship is a fixed, permanent position held by the Prime Minister, not a rotating post among the Chief Ministers. This makes Statement 3 incorrect, and therefore any option that includes Statement 3 (i.e., "2 and 3 only" and "1, 2 and 3") must be eliminated.

Conclusion:

Since Statement 1 ✅ and Statement 2 ✅ are both correct features of the NGRBA, and Statement 3 ❌ is factually incorrect regarding the chairmanship structure, the answer is confirmed to be "1 and 2 only".