Union Cabinet approves AMRUT 2.0 mission to make cities ‘water safe’

The government aims to provide affordable water and sanitation services by providing functional tap connections to all households, water source conservation/enhancement, rejuvenation of water bodies and wells, recycling/reusing treated used water and rainwater harvesting.

“The project will make life easier for urban households by providing piped water supply and sewerage/septage facilities,” the government said in a statement.

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), the first focused National Water Mission was launched in June 2015 to make life easier by providing tap connections and sewer connections to citizens in 500 cities. So far 1.1 crore domestic tap connections and 85 lakh sewer/septage connections have been given. 6,000 MLD sewage treatment capacity is being developed, out of which 1,210 MLD capacity has already been created, with a provision for reuse of 907 MLD treated sewage. 1,820 parks with an area of ​​3,600 acres have been developed, while another 1,800 acres is green. So far 1,700 flood points have been eliminated.

“Continuing the remarkable steps taken under AMRUT, AMRUT 2.0 aims at universal coverage of water supply by providing household tap connections in all 4,378 statutory cities. Another objective is 100% coverage of domestic sewerage/septage management in 500 AMRUT cities. The mission aims to provide 2.68 crore tap connections and 2.64 crore sewer/septage connections to achieve the desired results,” the government said in a statement.

Some of the key features of AMRUT 2.0 (U) include drinking water survey which will encourage competition among cities for benchmarking urban water services. The mission will also encourage mobilization of market finance through public-private partnership by mandating the implementation of projects worth 10% in cities with a population of more than one million. The mission will also bring leading technologies in the water sector to the world through technology sub-missions. Entrepreneurs/start-ups will be encouraged in the water ecosystem. The government said that an Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaign will be launched to spread awareness among people about water conservation.

The mission has a reform agenda that focuses on the financial health and water security of urban local bodies. Meeting 20 per cent of water demand through recycled water, reducing non-revenue water to less than 20 per cent and rejuvenation of water bodies are major water reforms. Reforms in property tax, user charges and enhancing creditworthiness of ULBs are other important reforms. The ULBs will be rewarded with incentives on completing the reforms.

In another decision, the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the continuation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) till 2025-26 with a focus on sustainability of Open Defecation Free (ODF) outcomes, including concrete Scientific processing of waste was achieved. Management of waste water in cities with population less than 1 lakh in 2011 census [cities not covered under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). A financial outlay of ₹1,41,600 crores has been finalized for SBM-U 2.0, including central share of ₹36,465 for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 which is over 2.5 times the financial outlay of ₹62,009 crores in the last phase of the Mission.  

With continuation of the mission, the government aims all statutory towns to become at least ODF+, all cities with <1 lakh population to be made ODF++ and put in place systems and processes so that all wastewater is safely treated and optimally reused and no untreated wastewater pollutes water bodies. The mission also aims all cities to achieve at least 3-star Garbage Free certification. 

The Union Cabinet also approved affiliation of 100 Schools in Government and private sector with Sainik School Society. The government said that beginning from the academic year 2022-23 approximately 5,000 students are expected to receive admission in class VI in such 100 affiliated Schools. At present the existing 33 Sainik Schools have admission capacity of approximately 3,000 students in class VI. The proposal, government said, aims to create a confident, highly skilled, multi-dimensional, patriotic youth community with leadership qualities focused on providing top most priority to the nationalistic objectives. 

In another decision, cabinet also approved Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) Fertilisers for the year 2021-22 (from 1st October, 2021 to 31st March, 2022). The government said in a statement that the financial implication of the move will be that net subsidy required for Rabi 2021-22 after deducting savings will be Rs.28,655 crore.