The Shinde-Fadnavis government on Thursday has approved the implementation the Centre’s AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) 2.0 scheme in Maharashtra. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has aimed at transforming 500 select cities under the scheme.
The state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and attended by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has given its approval today.
According to Shinde, about 50 per cent of the population in the state lives in urban areas and there are a total of 413 urban local bodies in the state. ‘’Amrit 1.0 scheme has been implemented in the state since 2015 but it was limited to only 44 cities in the state. However, AMRUT 2.0 will now be implemented in all the civil local bodies of the state during the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 to provide basic infrastructure in the urban areas of the state. The main objectives of the scheme are to make all city houses 100 percent self-sufficient in terms of water supply by providing tap connections, rejuvenating water resources and developing parks and green areas in open spaces in the city, and providing 100 percent sewage treatment and sewage connections in 44 Amrit 1.0 cities,’’ he said.
Under the AMRUT 2.0 campaign, projects worth Rs. 27,700 crores will be undertaken in the state, for which central financial assistance of Rs. 9,285 crores while Rs 18,415 crore will be contributed by the state government and the urban local self-government bodies according to their classification. Under this campaign, 52.81% funds will be provided for water supply projects, 41.35% for sewage disposal projects and 5.84% funds for the revival of water resources and development of green area projects.
Further, under AMRUT 2.0, in cities with a population of one million or more, the projects of 10% cost will be take up on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis. A Viability Gap Fund ( VGF) will be made available for this up to a maximum limit of sixty percent.
A State High Power Steering Committee ( SHPSC) has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary for the implementation of this scheme.
A Chief Minister’s Office statement said that with today’s decision on implementation of AMRUT 2.0, a sustainable water supply system will be created in the urban areas and the standard of living of the citizens of the city will definitely be raised. Further, the cities of the state will become cleaner and more beautiful.
