Cabinet approves the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation – AMRUT 2.0 till 2025-26

Source: This post is based on the following articles: 

• “Cabinet approves the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation – AMRUT 2.0 till 2025-26” published in PIB on 12th October 2021.
• “Cabinet approves AMRUT 2.0” published in Livemint on 13th October 2021.

What is the News?

The Union Cabinet has approved the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0) till 2025-26.

What is Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)?

AMRUT was launched in 2015 to facilitate ease of living to citizens in 500 cities by providing tap connections and sewer connections. So far, 1.1 crore household tap connections and 85 lakh sewer/ septage connections have been provided. 

What are the objectives of AMRUT 2.0?

AMRUT 2.0 focuses on:

i) Universal coverage of water supply by providing household tap connections in all 4,378 statutory towns. 

ii) 100% coverage of household sewage/ septage management in 500 AMRUT cities

To achieve the above objectives, the mission targets to provide 2.68 crore tap connections and 2.64 crore sewer/ septage connections.

Click Here to read about the key Components of the mission

How will the mission be monitored?

The mission will be monitored on a robust technology-based portal. The projects will be geotagged. 

There will also be an endeavour to make it a paperless Mission. The funds for the projects will be shared by the Centre, State and ULBs. Central funds will be released to the States in three tranches based on allocation to the State as per State Water Action Plan.

Other key features of the mission

The mission also focuses on the financial health and water security of urban local bodies. It seeks to meet 20% of demand through recycled water, reducing non-revenue water to less than 20% and rejuvenation of water bodies.

Moreover, the reforms of property tax, user charges and enhancing creditworthiness of urban local bodies are other key initiatives under the mission. Local bodies will be incentivised on accomplishing these reforms.