What is Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0?

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)?
• What is AMRUT 2.0?
• News Summary: Focus on flooding and groundwater, Govt plans to revive stepwells, borewells
• Key highlights of the pilot projects

 

Why in news?

• 10 cities across the country are getting ready to revive defunct borewells, neglected heritage stepwells and other shallow aquifers in a pilot project to recharge the groundwater as well as mitigate flooding.
• The pilot project will be executed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0.

 

What is Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)?

About

• AMRUT was launched in 2015 to provide basic civic amenities like water supply, sewerage, urban transport, parks as to improve the quality of life for all especially the poor and the disadvantaged. 
• The focus of the Mission is on infrastructure creation that has a direct link to provision of better services to the citizens.

• 

Image Caption: Key Features of AMRUT

• Objective

• The objective of the mission is to: 
  • ensure that every household has access to a tap with assured supply of water and a sewerage connection 
  • increase the amenity value of cities by developing greenery and well-maintained open spaces e.g., parks and 
  • reduce pollution by switching to public transport or constructing facilities for non-motorized transport e.g., walking and cycling.

• Coverage
  • The Mission covers covering 500 cities that includes all cities and towns with a population of over one lakh with notified Municipalities.
• Achievements
  • AMRUT has been ensuring water security by adding 1.1 crore household water tap connections and 85 lakh sewer connections, thus benefiting more than 4 crore people.

 

What is AMRUT 2.0?

• About
  • The target in the second phase of AMRUT is to
    • improve sewage and septic management, 
    • make our cities water safe cities and 
    • ensure that no sewage drains anywhere in our rivers’
  • In other words, AMRUT 2.0 will focus on enhancing sewerage and septic management and to make all Indian cities water secure.
• Aim
  • Amrut 2.0 aims at 
    • providing 100% coverage of water supply to all households in around 4,700 urban local bodies by providing about 2.68 crore tap connections and 
    • 100% coverage of sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities by providing around 2.64 crore sewer or septage connections
• Principles and Mechanism
  • AMRUT 2.0 will adopt the principles of circular economy and promote conservation and rejuvenation of surface and groundwater bodies. 
  • The Mission will promote data led governance in water management and Technology Sub-Mission to leverage latest global technologies and skills. 
  • ‘Pey Jal Survekshan’ will be conducted to promote progressive competition among cities. 
• Coverage 
  • The Amrut 2.0 will extends coverage from 500 cities under the first phase to 4,700 cities and towns.
  • It will provide water tap connections to 26.8 million urban households.
  • It will benefit more than 10.5 crore people in urban areas.

 

News Summary: Focus on flooding and groundwater, Govt plans to revive stepwells, borewells

Key highlights of the pilot projects

• Cities covered
  • The cities — Jaipur, Gwalior, Dhanbad, Kolkata, Rajkot, Thane, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai — were selected.
  • These cities were selected due to their historical dependence on shallow aquifer systems and the local urban bodies’ interest in implementing the project.
• Technical partner for the project
  • National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) along with not-for-profit ACWADAM and Biome Environmental Solutions.
• Idea behind this project
  • Ranging from 3 metres to 5 metres in depth, the shallow aquifers can be recharged relatively quicker, and by using less energy, compared to the deeper ones.
  • Once recharged, the water can be used by the local communities. Informal settlements tend to rely on shallow aquifers for water supply.
• Need for such project
  • While Indian cities depend on surface water supply, like rivers, about 40 per cent of the supply comes from groundwater.
  • The level of groundwater is fast depleting and needs to be recharged.
    • The United Nations World Water Development Report 2022 said India was the largest groundwater user globally.
  • Also, water scarcity as well as the flooding situation can be addressed by recharging the groundwater.

 

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Q1) What is National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)?

The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is a premier research and capacity-building institution in India that focuses on urban development. It was established in 1976 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India The primary objective of NIUA is to promote sustainable and equitable urban development in India. It undertakes research, policy analysis, and advocacy on various urban-related issues, aiming to provide evidence-based insights and recommendations for urban policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders.

 

Q2) What is United Nations World Water Development Report?

The United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR) is a flagship publication produced by the United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). It is released every three years and provides a comprehensive overview of the world's freshwater resources, their management, and the challenges and opportunities related to water and sanitation.

 

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Source: Focus on flooding and groundwater, Govt plans to revive stepwells, borewells | PIB | India Today