Namami Ganga Yojana is an ambitious Union Government project aimed at integrating efforts to clean and protect which major Indian river?

Introduction / Context:
This question addresses flagship schemes of the Government of India focused on environmental protection and river rejuvenation. The Ganga, or Ganges, is one of the most significant rivers in India, both culturally and economically, and has long needed comprehensive efforts to address pollution and ecological stress. The Namami Ganga Yojana is a centrally funded programme that integrates multiple initiatives to clean and protect the Ganga river basin.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question mentions an ambitious Union Government project that integrates efforts to clean and protect the Ganga river.
• We must match this description to the correct scheme name.
• Options include other well known schemes such as Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik, Urja Ganga, and Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat, besides Namami Ganga Yojana.
• The task is purely conceptual and based on scheme recognition.

Concept / Approach:
Namami Ganga Yojana is the flagship programme specifically launched for the rejuvenation, conservation, and cleaning of the Ganga river. It brings together sewerage treatment projects, river-front development, biodiversity conservation, and public awareness activities under one umbrella. Other schemes in the options are unrelated to cleaning rivers: Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik focuses on regional air connectivity, Urja Ganga is about gas pipeline expansion, and Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat promotes cultural integration among states.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the core goal stated in the question: cleaning and protecting the Ganga river in a comprehensive manner. Step 2: Recall major government schemes. Namami Ganga Yojana is widely known as the river cleaning and rejuvenation programme. Step 3: Examine the other scheme names in the options to confirm they have different objectives. Step 4: Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik is about affordable air travel; Urja Ganga relates to gas pipelines; Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat is about national integration. Step 5: Therefore, Namami Ganga Yojana is the only scheme that fits the description.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by recalling typical exam questions that ask “Which scheme is associated with cleaning the Ganga?” The answer is almost always Namami Ganga. Government advertisements, documentaries, and press releases frequently use this name when referring to Ganga river conservation efforts, which reinforces the association in memory.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik: A scheme aimed at making air travel affordable and connecting underserved airports; not related to river cleaning.
• Urja Ganga: Focuses on energy infrastructure, specifically gas pipeline development, not directly on cleaning the Ganga despite the word "Ganga" appearing in the title.
• Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat: Encourages cultural and linguistic exchanges to promote national integration, not environmental protection.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be confused by the presence of "Ganga" in the name Urja Ganga and mistakenly think it is about the river itself. However, Urja Ganga emphasises energy infrastructure, whereas Namami Ganga Yojana explicitly targets cleaning and rejuvenating the Ganga river system. Always focus on the stated objective in the question and match it with the correct scheme.

Final Answer:
The ambitious Union Government project that integrates efforts to clean and protect the Ganga river is Namami Ganga Yojana.