AMRUT:Centre approves plan for 89 cities

The  Urban Development Ministry has approved plans under AMRUT(Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) for providing water supply and sewerage connections for 89 cities in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

What is AMRUT:

• Today our cities especially metros are suffering from unsustainable population(due to rural to urban migration),pollution,congested traffic,slum dwellings unhygienic environment, heat sink zone(heat island) etc.
• So to improve this situation and to provide basic services(water supply,sewerage,urban transport) to households and build amenities in cities which will improve quality of life ,esp poor and disadvantaged people ,govt. has launched the AMRUT mission.

Thrust Areas:

• Water Supply
• Sewerage facilities.
• Storm Water drains to reduce flooding
• Pedestrian, non-motorized and public transport facilities, parking spaces. 
• Enhancing amenity value of cities by creating and upgrading green spaces, parks and recreation centres, especially for children.

Working of the mission:

At National level

There is an Apex Committee under MoUD  which will approve the SAAP(State Annual Action Plans) submitted by State level High Powered Steering Committee (SHPSC),release funds and monitor the overall mission.

State level

At state level SHPSC will steer the mission programme in its entirety.It formulates SAAP based on ULBs(urban local bodies),identifying the infrastructure gaps,ways to improve them, finalising financial outlays for cities mission.

At the city level ULBs are responsible for implementation of the mission.

Under AMRUT, Central Government will provide an assistance of 50 per cent of project cost for cities with a population of up to 10 lakhs each and one third of project cost for cities with a population of above 10 lakhs each. Rest of the project cost has to be borne by the states and urban local bodies.

Other programmes for cities to make them resilient:

• SMART cities project.
• Housing for All.