Government approves Rs 3,120 crore for infrastructure boost in 102 AMRUT cities

NEW DELHI: Government today approved an investment of Rs 3,120 cr for boosting urban infrastructure in in 102 cities across five states, including enhancing water supply, sewerage network, non-motorised transportation system and availability of public spaces. 

The Urban Development ministry approved the investment under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a statement released here said. 

An inter-ministerial Apex Committee chaired by Urban Development Secretary Madhusudhan Prasad approved state-level Annual Action Plans for 2015-16 for five states, the statement. 

The annual action plan for Haryana, which has 18 AMRUT cities was approved with an investment of Rs 438 cr while Rs 573 cr was approved for Chattisgarh (9 AMRUT cities). 

Besides, Rs 416 cr for Telangana (12 cities), Rs 588 cr for Kerala (9 cities) and Rs 1,105 cr for West Bengal which has 54 Atal Mission cities, have also been approved the statement said. 

Total investment in water supply projects in 58 mission states will be Rs 2,386 cr, sewerage projects - Rs 495 cr in 17 cities, storm water drains - Rs 106 cr in 9 cities, Urban transport - Rs 61 cr in 9 cities and Rs 72 cr for development of parks and green spaces in all the 102 cities, the statement said. 

The Apex Committee approved investments in different basic urban infrastructure areas as proposed by respective state governments. Ministry of Urban Development will provide an assistance of Rs 540 cr. 

With today's approval, the ministry has so far cleared a total investment of Rs 11,654 cr in 272 Atal Mission cities for improving infrastructure for ensuring water and sewerage connections to all households in such cities, besides, enabling water supply as per the norm of 135 litres per capita per day for urban areas. 

At present only about 50 per cent of urban households are provided with water connections and water supply is about 75 lpcd. Availability of sewerage connections is very low. Atal Mission seeks to bridge this deficit. 

As per the State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) for 2015-16, presented by the Haryana government, water supply at present in the 18 mission cities is below the norms. It is only 43 litres per capita per day (lpcd) in Jind, 88 lpcd in Sonipet and a maximum of 130 lpcd in Gurgaon. 

In other mission cities of Rohtak, Ambala Cantonment, Thaneswar, Sirsa, Hisar, Palwal, Karnal, Yamuna Nagar, Kaithal, Bhiwani, Ambala City, Rewari, Panipat, Bahadurgarh and Jagadhari, present water supply is in the range of 102 lpcd to 127 lpcd, the statement added.