The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) in 2015, covering 60% of India’s urban population in 500 cities with populations over one lakh. The AMRUT plan is an initiative to offer basic municipal amenities to urban residents in an effort to improve their quality of life, with a particular emphasis on the underprivileged and impoverished segments of society. This program has taken the place of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Rajasthan was the first state in the country to accept State Annual Action Plan under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation-AMRUT. The scheme depends on the public-private partnership-PPP model.
Objectives of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Plan:
- To develop greenery both inside and outside of cities, together with well-maintained open places like parks, to raise their aesthetic value.
- To guarantee that every household has access to both a sufficient supply of water and sewage.
- To lessen pollution by using public transportation or by building infrastructure for non-motorized modes of transportation like walking and cycling.
- The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) seeks to revitalize 500 cities with recognized municipalities and a population of more than one lakh.
Features of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Plan:
- With a focus on satisfying the needs of children and the elderly, the AMRUT plan takes a pragmatic approach to ensuring essential infrastructure services related to water supply, sewage, water drainage, transportation, communication, and the development of green areas.
- The promotion of urban reforms like e-governance, the creation of an effective municipal cadre, the transfer of funds and duties to urban local bodies, the review of bylaws, an improvement in the assessment and collection of the municipal tax system, the regular water audit, and citizen-centred urban planning are all linked to the mission’s implementation.
- According to the plan, states and union territories will get 10% of the budget as an incentive, based on the success of the actions done in the prior year.
- Nearly ₹1 lakh crore investment was made in city development under the schemes, Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT of 500 cities have already been accepted by the government.
Components of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Plan:
The following are the components of the AMRUT Mission:
- Building capacity
- Implementing reform
- Provision of water and control of sewage and septage
- Creation of parks and green places.
- Removal of stormwater
- Upgrades to urban transportation infrastructure
Suitability of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Plan:
SAAP-State Annual Action Plans is an integrated plan of all the city-level SLIP-Service Level Improvement Plans of all suggested AMRUT cities in the corresponding states. A concept on City level SLIP is made, which is based on a particular calculation of uncertainties in the accessibility of groundwork such as the supply of water, sewage link, drainage system, transport facilities, accessible computerized and web facilities, and manufacturing resources, and so on.
Coverage of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Plan:
Under AMRUT, 500 cities have been selected across India. The list of cities that have been chosen for AMRUT is as follows:
- According to the Census of 2011, all cities and towns with a population of over a thousand with notified municipalities, including cantonment boards.
- All capital cities and towns of states and UTs that are not included above,
- All cities and towns that MoHUA has designated as Heritage Cities under the HRIDAY Scheme.
- 13 cities and towns on the main rivers with populations between 75,000 and 1 lakh.
- Ten cities, including tourist sites, islands, and hill states (not more than one from each State)
Phases of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Plan:
Phase-I: AMRUT 1.0 (2015-20): Achievements:
- Access to drinking water: The government has installed over 85 lakh sewage connections and about 1.1 crore tap connections in homes.
- A sewage treatment capacity of 6,000 MLD is being constructed.
- Green Space: There are 1,820 parks in the area, and another 1,800 acres are being “greened.” Additionally, 1,700 flooding points have been removed so far.
Phase-II: AMRUT 2.0 (2021-26): Targets:
- The Government of India authorized the AMRUT 2.0 from 2021 to 2025-26 in 2021 as a step toward making the cities “water secure” and “self-sustainable” by supplying tap water to everyone.
- According to this, all statutory towns are given complete coverage for their tap water supply and sewer/sewer connection.
- By establishing over 68 crore tap connections, all families in 4,700 urban local bodies will have access to water on a 100% basis.
- By installing 64 crore sewer and septage connections, 500 AMRUT cities will have complete sewer and septage coverage.
- Adopt the circular economy’s guiding principles (Generating wealth from waste using 3Rs).
- Encourage the preservation and renewal of surface and groundwater resources.
- Water management via data-driven governance.
- Utilize the most recent worldwide technologies and abilities through the technology sub-mission.
- Pey Jal Survekshan: To encourage rivalry amongst cities.
Significance of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Plan:
- Currently, 31 percent of India’s population lives in urban areas, which make up around 63 percent of the country’s GDP (Census 2011).
- According to projections from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, it will likely exceed 50% by 2030.
- Urban sprawl, slums, squatter settlements, an inadequate water supply, inadequate sewage facilities, traffic congestion, and urban pollution are just a few of the issues that Urban India suffers despite its immense importance.
Implementation of AMRUT in States:
Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati, which is the new capital of the state, has been accepted under the AMRUT project. The planning work was started to manage the various criteria like the sewage system, 135 litres per head per day, and so on.
Haryana: Based on the AMRUT project, the state government has declared to supply the cities and eighteen Urban Local Bodies, with the amenities like a supply of water, drainage link, and floral development. The project has also been connected with Swachh Bharat Mission.
Jammu and Kashmir: Srinagar Municipal Corporation is operating with officials sent from the centre under the AMRUT project and business units are being held with regard to the administration and funding of the project.
Maharashtra: The government announced forty-four cities in the state are aimed at city modification and will be handled for five years.
Madhya Pradesh: The government has suggested the SAAP scheme to boost the groundwork such as water supply and drainage links in thirty-four mission cities under the scheme AMRUT.
Telangana: The government proposed a plan to increase the supply of water in twelve AMRUT cities during the financial year 2015-16.
Related Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:
Q 1. What is the aim of the AMRUT mission?
Ans: The AMRUT mission aims at initiating groundwork to make sure enough sewage links and supply of water in cities through executing urban renewal schemes.
Q 2. Which is the first state to accept AMRUT scheme?
Ans: Rajasthan was the first state to introduce State Annual Action Plan under the AMRUT mission.
Q 3. When was the AMRUT scheme launched?
Ans: AMRUT scheme was launched in June 2015.
Q 4. What is the plan AMRUT?
Ans: AMRUT-Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation. It is a scheme that focuses on transforming selected five-hundred cities across the country into structured urban cities.
Q 5. How many cities have been selected under the AMRUT scheme?
Ans: Five Hundred cities have been selected under the AMRUT scheme.