The main purpose of 'Ganga Action Plan' project, launched in 1985, was

The Ganga Action Plan (GAP) was launched in June 1985 by the Government of India as a 100% centrally funded scheme. Its primary objective was to improve the water quality of the Ganga River by reducing the pollution load. The plan focused on the interception, diversion, and treatment of domestic sewage and the prevention of toxic industrial effluents from entering the river. The ultimate goal was to restore the water to "Bathable Class" standards. While the project involved secondary goals like biodiversity conservation, its central and defining purpose was pollution abatement. It served as the precursor to the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and the current Namami Gange programme.