Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of eight AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) projects worth around Rs 2,000 crore in Maharashtra.

He also dedicated more than 90,000 houses completed under PMAY-Urban in Maharashtra.

The PM dedicated 15,000 houses of Raynagar Housing Society in Solapur, whose beneficiaries comprise thousands of handloom workers, vendors, power loom workers, rag pickers, beedi workers and drivers.

He also kickstarted the distribution of first and second instalments to 10,000 beneficiaries of PM-SVANIDHI in Maharashtra during the programme.

What is AMRUT?

• The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, was launched in June 2015 with an outlay of Rs 50,000 crore.

• The bedrock of AMRUT is development of basic urban infrastructure – water supply, sewerage, septage management, storm water drains, urban transport and development of green space and parks with special provision for senior citizens and differently abled-friendly components in 500 cities and towns.

• In October 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the second phase of AMRUT with the aim of making the cities ‘water secure’ and ‘self-sustainable’ through a circular economy of water.

• Total indicative outlay for AMRUT 2.0 is Rs 2,77,000 crore, including a central share of Rs 76,760 crore, for five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26.

• Providing reliable and affordable water supply and sanitation services to urban households is a national priority. This will be achieved by providing functional tap connections to all households, undertaking water source conservation/ augmentation, rejuvenation of water bodies and wells, recycle/reuse of treated used water and rainwater harvesting.

• AMRUT 2.0, targets universal coverage of water supply by providing household tap connections in all 4,378 statutory towns. 

• Mission targets to provide 2.68 crore tap connections and 2.64 crore sewer/ septage connections to achieve the intended outcomes.

• The project will lead to ease of living by providing piped-water supply and sewerage and septage facilities to urban households.

• Mission has a reform agenda focussed towards financial health and water security of ULBs. 

• 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 related reforms.

• Under AMRUT, 500 cities were selected covering 60 per cent of urban population of the country including all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with a population of one lakh or more as per Census 2011, all other capital cities of states/UTs, all Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) cities as well as identified cities on the stem of the main rivers, from Hill States, islands and tourist destinations.

• States have been empowered to select, apprise, propose and after approval from Apex Committee of ministry of housing & urban affairs (MoHUA), implement projects within the broad framework of AMRUT Mission.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store