AMRUT Scheme - Aims, Areas, Componenets, Covering States and Achievements

India is tying up with the development of the urban areas where one can afford to have crystal clear and free drinking water to every house, green parks, pollution-free air, balanced ecological system, control on floodwater, sewerage, etc. On 24th June of 2015, the government of India established a scheme named AMRUT- Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation. The scheme is launched in the hands of the honourable prime minister of India, Narendra Modi. Initially, the scheme is aimed to have five years, but later the scheme is extended to a further two years. As of the reports by the government, the total development and work done by the scheme are not above 50%, so it's defined to have an additional two more years. So, the span is 2015-20 but later extended to 2020-23. The budget estimated for the scheme is 77,640 crores in Indian currency. Rajasthan is the first state in the country where the scheme is started it's rooted.

"Development will not occur at once, they should build brick by brick, step by step, and day by day". 

AMRUT Scheme main Aims

The scheme aims to have :

1. Every house should have the drinking water connectivity in the form of taps and have a proper sewerage connection.

2. Green parks need to develop in the cities which will provide the citizens with a green and healthy environment including recreation centres mainly aimed for children.

3. Motivating and allowing people to have public transportation like public vehicles, buses rather than using personal vehicles. This implementation will reduce pollution and make air pollution-free. The scheme also includes the usage of non-motorized transportation like walking and cycling.

Which areas are covered under the AMRUT scheme?

The government of India initiated to cover nearly 500 cites under the AMRUT scheme. If the city is under development then it is considerable for the scheme. All the cities and towns governing more than one lakh residents will be considered. The thirteen cities and towns come under this category which is access to live running river water where the place consists of about 75,000 and less than one lakh people.

Besides this, few other places are under consideration. Hill stations, islands, and tourist spots each from a state are cones under this development category.

The Components of the Mission AMRUT

As it is stated, in the previous paragraph, the motto of the scheme is to fulfil the following needs.

Water Supply to every household :

• Pure and fresh drinking water is supplied to every house using the " tap" implementation. 
• Ensuring the proper repair and checking the working condition of the already existing drinking water taps.
• Properly recharging the groundwater.
• Improving water quality in water contaminated areas, by providing excess mineral and toxic-free water.
• At present only 64℅ of the country's houses are affording drinking water facilities. The scheme is aiming to have 100 ℅ water facility to all households by the year 2020. It targets to provide about 139 lakh tap water connections.
• The budget allocated for the development of freshwater supply to all houses is about Rs. 39,011 crores that are about 50℅ of the budget aims in providing the drinking water to all the houses of the country through tap management.

Reuse of the wastewater and sewerage functionality

• Improving the sewerage systems and decentralizing the underground sewerage systems.
• Repairing the broken down sewerage plants and improving them to better conditions.
• Wastewater can be used in possible alternate ways so that the wastewater can retreat again in a better way. This will increase the affordability of water and can save water for future needs.
• At present, the proper condition of sewerage is only 31℅ and the scheme is aiming to increase it up to the 62℅ by its end.
• The budget allocated is about Rs. 32,456 crores that are 42℅ of the overall budget is keen on the development of sewerage and septage management.

Septage improvements

• Cleaning, correct treatment, and proper transportation of faecal sludge, and wastes.
• Cleaning the septic tanks and ensuring a proper drainage system.

Developing urban transportation

• Constructing adequate footpaths, side paths, foot over bridges for pedestrians. And developing non-motorized transport facilities like bicycling and all. 
• The budget allocated for urban transportation is Rs.1,436 crore that is about 2℅ is provided, for non-motorized urban transport.

Development of green spaces and parks

• Inaugurating the green parks and recreational places in cities to provide the children and all age groups to afford the fresh air.
• The budget allocated for the development of the green spaces and parks is Rs.1,768 crore that is about 2% of the budget and has been allocated for development and affordability of green spaces and parks.

Regulation of stormwater management

• The scheme concentrates on the improvement of the main urban infrastructure in stormwater drains to curtail flooding. Stormwater maintenance was the next most priority after the water and sewerage. By the Construction and maintenance of stormwater drains, there are much more chances to reduce the flooding water and waterlogging in cities. Therefore cities can furnish with the free environment. 
• The budget given for stormwater management is about Rs.2,969 crore which is nearly 4%. 
• This includes the implementation of proper stormwater systems, filtration of logging, and wastewater.
• There should be a separate path for wastewater discharge and normal filtered water discharge. The open pits are covered, and cleaning of wastes in lakes and all activities comes under this category.

States under the AMRUT scheme

West Bengal

Jangipur city of Murshidabad is a parliamentary constituency in the state of West Bengal. The city Jangipur is recommended for the scheme, which is going to have developed from the country scheme.

Andhra Pradesh

Amaravati, the city of Andhra Pradesh which is considered as the new capital by the respective state government also comes under the 

AMRUT scheme. The proposal aims to achieve the improvement of the sewerage system, about 135 litres per capita per about is considered for the development.

Haryana

Haryana is also considered in the AMRUT scheme. The state government Haryana announced to establish the cities and 18 ULBs(Urban Local Bodies). This includes providing facilities like drinking water supply, proper sewerage connection and development, and implementation of greenery. The scheme also combines with another national-level scheme namely Swachh Bharat in the establishment of a clean and green state in future days.

Jammu and Kashmir

The capital of the state, Jammu and Kashmir, is working with the AMRUT for state development. Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) is working with the national scheme. 

Maharashtra

The most populated state of the country and most economically developed state of the country also bags the scheme. The Maharashtra state officially revealed the state urban transformation by the scheme of AMRUT. Nearly 43 cities in the state of Maharashtra is up to the developments over 5 years.

Madhya Pradesh 

The state government of Madhya Pradesh, given the name for the development under the AMRUT scheme which aims to have proper infrastructure for water connections and sewerage networks. Over 34 cities are included in the state's SAAP of the scheme. 

Telangana 

The most recently partitioned state from Andhra Pradesh is Telangana. Now the state also bags the scheme as Andhra Pradesh does come under this category. The state provides the SAAP which includes the supply of drinking water and local water to the 12 cities if the state. 

The Scheme also includes the REFORMS

The mission also focuses on a few more development programs, including the development programs that come under the AMRUT scheme, which are known to be REFORMS. Reforms include citizen services, curtailing the cost of delivery as possible as it can, improving for better financial health, and many more. The scheme adds 10% of its budget to the reforms developments in urban areas.

Reform agenda comes with the implementation of the following needs:

• Improving and providing the LED lights in the cities, so that the use of solar energy is efficient in the country and walking towards saving the fuel for future needs.
• The proper establishment of the water pumps with replacing the dead and not working pumps in towns and cities.
• Making availability of Municipal Bonds and conduction of credit ratings in the towns and cities.
• Wastewater is reused by proper treating and water is used for different purposes.
• Single Window Clearance System which includes in the Construction Permits.
• Capacity Building etc.

These reforms are aimed to be set about 11 reforms which consist of 54 achievements in the States and Union territories of India. The reform includes the establishment of online services to every citizen of India, offering every course to the single widow for the further development of her life, improving the municipal cadre, collecting about 90% of the taxes and billing, implementing at least one park a year in India for children's welfare and wellbeing, and many more.

Achievements and work completion of the AMRUT Scheme:

As the estimated work is not completed in the span of estimated years of five, the scheme is further extended for two years. As of now, in the total budget of Rs.77,640 crores, only Rs.10,235 crores are used for the development. And only 2,649 projects are completed with flying colours. The ministry says about 46% of water connection is done in 50% of estimation, and 28,3% of the sewer connections are achieved between the years of 2015 June and December 2019. 

If it comes to the reforms working conditions, then the work done until now is so immense and so fast. Replacement of light lights by LED lights is one of the initiatives of the reform which completes with 62,78,571 in a total of 97,93,386. Coming to the Capacity Building the scheme reform aims to 52,327 in which about 45,000 is completed. The Ministry of Urbanization (MoU) is aimed for 446 cities which are under the implementation of Energy audit of Water pumps. About 358 cities are developed in this category. As the reforms are completed with flying colours the government aims to complete all in the next two years. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Where can I find more details about this scheme?

You can visit the official website of AMRUT scheme to learn more details about this scheme.

Q. Is there any limit for the cost provided under the AMRUT scheme in each sector?

No, but the states/ ULBs has to consider the National Priorities of the Mission and the Guidelines. It is universal coverage of water and sewerage.

Q. Do Capacitivity Buildings are extended or provided rather than AMRUT cites?

The Capacity Building element of the scheme strives at the training of 45000 personnel from the Mission Cities. But, at present only personnel Mission Cities re under consideration.

Q. How can one find outs the replacing of the pumps in just identification?

Replacement of pipeline shall be considered only if it leads to NRW reduction in case of water supply and improvement in collection efficiency in case of sewerage.

Q. How ULB will share 30% in AMRUT? It is very difficult of ULBs which are depended on States.

The contribution of the State Govt is a minimum of 20%. There is no upper limit on State share in SAAP.

Q. What shall be the general order of prioritization of projects in the water and sewerage sector?

Universal coverage of water supply shall be given top priority, that is the drinking water supply through taps systems. The next most priority goes to will be universal coverage of sewerage connection to all households.