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Indian Prime Minister on 25th June 2015 launched three major Missions to enhance the quality of urban living, namely the Smart Cities Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Under AMRUT, the focus is on providing basic infrastructure like providing tap water and sewer connections to every urban household; solid waste management; provision of storm water drains, parks and green spaces, and roads and public transport; and promotion of urban reforms to improve urban governance. The Mission seeks to enable urban local bodies meet service-level benchmarks in respect of various services.
Why AMRUT?
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Ensure that every household has access to a tap with assured water supply and a sewerage connection;
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Increase the amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well-maintained open spaces (e.g. parks); and
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Reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport (e.g. walking and cycling).
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A total of 482 cities and towns with a population of one lakh and above each besides capitals and hill stations and those of tourism importance and located on the stems of main rivers were identified under AMRUT by 4th Aug 2015. These included UP (60 cities), West Bengal (59), Maharashtra (43), 32 from MP and Tamil Nadu, 31 each from Gujarat and AP, Rajasthan (28), Karnataka (27), Bihar (26), Haryana (20), Punjab (16), Telangana (11), 9 each from Chattisgarh and Odisha, 7 each from Kerala and Jharkhand, Uttarakhand (6), 4 each from Assam and Delhi, J&K (3), 2 each from Nagaland and Puducherry, one each from A&N Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Lakshdweep, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura.
On 7th Jan 2016, the Ministry of Urban Development had approved city-level Service Level Improvement Plans (SLIPs) for 469 cities and towns in 20 States with a total project expenditure of Rs 20,137 crore out of which central assistance would be about Rs 10,000 crore.
AMRUT projects under execution
Larsen & Toubro has bagged an order for providing water supply distribution network to peripheral circles of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. The project includes construction of approximately 650 km of pipeline network, twenty water storage reservoirs and other associated works.
In Karnataka, the state-level green panel has given nod for diversion of 13.93 hectare of forest land in Hassan district for implementation of Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project of Krishna Neeravari Nigam (KNNL), with certain conditions. The project aims to cater to the requirements of over 7.55 million people in drought-prone Kolar, Chickballapur, Ramanagaram, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural and Hassan districts.
Karnataka has sought World Bank assistance to carry out its Urban Water Sector Improvement Project to provide 24 x 7 drinking water supply for Belagavi city.
At central level, India has inked an USD 80 million loan agreement with Asian Development Bank to improve infrastructure in two Northeastern state capital cities. The loan is the third tranche of a USD 200 million financing facility under the North Eastern Region Capital cities Development Investment Programme and will be used for investments in water supply, solid waste management and sanitation in Agartala and Aizwal.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed an agreement with the Union Government to provide 19,064 million Japanese Yen (around Rs 1,000 crore) as Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan. This is for the development of a sewage collection and treatment infrastructure in Pune city, 13 adjoining villages and the Cantonment area. JICA is also supporting Mapusa sewerage project in Goa.
Parks and Playgrounds
While the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has drawn up plans to develop and maintain 159 playgrounds and offer facilities for sports under a Rs 96 crore plan, Madhya Pradesh Ecotourism Board is planning to revise a proposal to build a biodiversity park at Ralamandal, which has been stalled for 3 years. The project is expected to host ponds, cactus garden, butterfly garden, small huts for tourists, movie halls and a dinosaur park.
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