Urban areas in India are home to millions of people, and as cities grow, the need for well-planned infrastructure becomes crucial. Recognizing this, the Government of India launched the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a program aimed at improving urban infrastructure, enhancing the quality of life, and making cities more sustainable and livable. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), with a focus on creating citizen-friendly urban spaces.
This article provides an overview of the AMRUT mission, its objectives, benefits, focus areas, and the significant impact it is making on urban development in India.
Purpose
The primary objective of the AMRUT scheme is to create cities that provide their residents with basic services, modern infrastructure, and sustainable environments. The mission focuses on three key outcomes:
- Access to Water Supply and Sewerage Systems: Ensuring that every household has a tap with an assured supply of water and a sewerage connection.
- Improving Urban Amenities: Enhancing the amenity value of cities by creating well-maintained green spaces such as parks and gardens.
- Reducing Urban Pollution: Promoting the use of public transport and non-motorized transport systems such as walking and cycling paths to reduce vehicular emissions.
These objectives align with the vision of building citizen-centric cities, particularly benefiting vulnerable groups like women and children.
Thrust Areas
The mission emphasizes the following critical areas to achieve its objectives:
- Water Supply: Improving water availability by augmenting water supply systems, rejuvenating water bodies, and introducing metering systems for efficient usage.
- Sewerage and Septage Management: Developing underground sewerage systems, treating wastewater for reuse, and managing faecal sludge in a cost-effective manner.
- Storm Water Drainage: Reducing flooding and waterlogging in cities through the construction of modern stormwater drainage systems.
- Non-Motorized Urban Transport: Promoting walkability and cycling by creating footpaths, walkways, and facilities for non-motorized transport.
- Green Spaces and Parks: Developing child-friendly parks and recreational areas to improve the overall urban environment.
Coverage and Scope
Under AMRUT, 500 cities and towns across India have been selected for development. These include:
- Cities and towns with a population of over 1 lakh, including civilian areas of cantonment boards.
- Capital cities and towns of States and Union Territories not included in the above category.
- Heritage cities classified under the HRIDAY scheme.
- Thirteen towns located along major rivers with populations between 75,000 and 1 lakh.
- Ten cities from hill states, islands, and tourist destinations, with a limit of one city per state.
This wide coverage ensures that AMRUT benefits urban areas of varying sizes and characteristics, making it one of the most inclusive urban development schemes in India.
Benefits
AMRUT brings multiple benefits to cities and their residents by addressing urban challenges holistically. Some of its key benefits include:
- Improved Water Supply: The scheme funds the development of water treatment plants, universal metering systems, and rejuvenation of water bodies to ensure a reliable supply of clean drinking water. Special arrangements are made for hill and coastal cities where water quality issues like arsenic and fluoride are prevalent.
- Modern Sewerage Systems: AMRUT supports the installation of underground sewerage systems, sewage treatment plants, and wastewater recycling facilities, ensuring better sanitation and reduced environmental pollution.
- Flood Management: By constructing stormwater drains and rehabilitating existing ones, the mission reduces the risk of urban flooding and waterlogging.
- Promoting Sustainable Transport: The scheme emphasizes public transport systems like buses and ferry vessels, along with facilities for non-motorized transport such as footpaths, sidewalks, and cycle tracks. It also supports multi-level parking and Bus Rapid Transit Systems (BRTS) to ease urban congestion.
- Green Urban Spaces: AMRUT funds the development of parks, gardens, and recreational areas with child-friendly features, enhancing the quality of life for residents.
- Capacity Building: The mission includes programs for building the capacity of urban local bodies (ULBs) and their staff. Training programs and workshops improve the planning, execution, and maintenance of urban projects.
- Reforms and Monitoring: AMRUT supports urban reforms, such as the introduction of independent monitoring agencies to ensure transparency and accountability in project implementation.
Eligibility and Documentation
The AMRUT scheme is open to all, and no specific eligibility criteria are required for individuals to benefit from its initiatives. Additionally, no documents are required from citizens to avail of the scheme’s benefits, as it is implemented directly by urban local bodies (ULBs) in selected cities.
Indicative List of Inadmissible Components
While AMRUT covers a wide range of urban development initiatives, some components are ineligible for funding under this scheme. These include:
- Purchase of land for projects.
- Staff salaries for state governments or urban local bodies.
- Expenditures on power, telecom, health, and education.
- Wage employment programs and related staffing.