Launched on June 25, 2015, the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) marked a decisive shift in how India approached urban infrastructure. Instead of fragmented upgrades, the mission focused on strengthening the basic services that shape everyday city life, clean water, proper sewerage, effective drainage, green spaces, and non-motorised transport.
The programme initially covered 500 cities and towns across the country, including 485 identified cities and 15 merged urban areas. Its aim was straightforward yet ambitious: ensure that India’s growing urban population had access to reliable and sustainable core infrastructure.
Where the Money Went: Water and Sewerage Take Priority
Under AMRUT, projects worth Rs. 83,471 crore were grounded across sectors. A clear majority of the funding was directed towards water-related infrastructure. Water supply projects alone accounted for Rs. 43,359.6 crore, or nearly 52% of the total project value.
Sewerage and septage management followed closely, with projects worth Rs. 34,467.01 crore, representing over 41% of the total spend. Smaller allocations went towards stormwater drainage, green spaces, parks, and water body rejuvenation, reflecting the mission’s focus on essentials first.
This emphasis was not accidental. According to the Central Public Health & Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO), nearly 80% of water supplied to households returns as wastewater. Managing this wastewater safely is critical to protecting drinking water sources and urban ecosystems.
Building Sewage Treatment Capacity at Scale
To address this challenge, AMRUT grounded 889 sewerage and septage management projects worth Rs. 34,467.01 crore. These projects approved sewage treatment capacity of about 6,299 million litres per day (MLD).
Of this, around 4,843 MLD of sewage treatment capacity has already been created, while 1,437 MLD has been developed specifically for recycling and reuse. This marked a major step towards preventing untreated wastewater from flowing into rivers, lakes, and groundwater systems.
AMRUT 2.0: From Infrastructure to Water Security
In October 2021, AMRUT was subsumed under AMRUT 2.0, expanding its coverage to all Urban Local Bodies across India. The renewed mission placed a stronger emphasis on making cities “water secure” and “self-reliant”.
One of the central goals of AMRUT 2.0 is universal coverage of sewerage and septage management in 500 cities. So far, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has approved 583 sewerage projects worth Rs. 66,117.69 crore.
These projects cover the development and augmentation of 6,649 MLD of sewage treatment capacity, 65 lakh household sewer connections, and the laying of over 34,500 km of sewer lines. Cities have also reported that around 6,535 MLD of treated wastewater is now being reused for industrial, horticultural, and agricultural purposes.
Closing the Loop: Recycling and Reuse
AMRUT 2.0 takes a strong circular economy approach to water. In addition to existing reuse, another 1,931 MLD of recycling capacity has been approved. To support this shift, MoHUA launched the “Jal Hi AMRIT” initiative, which incentivises states and union territories to operate sewage treatment plants efficiently and meet environmental standards consistently.
As part of this initiative, Water Resource Recovery Cells have been established in 25 states and UTs. These cells plan, monitor, and scale efforts to recover resources from wastewater, turning what was once a liability into a valuable urban asset.
Strengthening Drinking Water Infrastructure
Alongside sewerage, AMRUT has focused heavily on ensuring safe drinking water. Under the original mission, 1,403 water supply projects worth Rs. 43,359.6 crore were grounded.
AMRUT 2.0 significantly scaled this effort. State Water Action Plans covering 3,528 water supply projects worth Rs. 1.19 lakh crore have been approved across 2,484 urban local bodies. These projects include laying and replacing pipelines, upgrading treatment plants, and expanding household tap connections.
So far, 238 lakh water tap connections have been provided in urban areas, and over 90,000 km of water pipeline networks have been laid or replaced. More than 5,400 MLD of water treatment capacity has already been developed.
‘Drink from Tap’: A Shift in Urban Expectations
A key behavioural and quality shift under AMRUT 2.0 is the “Drink from Tap” initiative. States are encouraged to implement at least one such project in every AMRUT city, typically within a District Metered Area or ward.
To date, 408 Drink from Tap projects covering 1,153 DMAs have been approved in 349 urban local bodies, benefitting over 16.7 lakh households. These projects aim to ensure that potable water is safe enough to drink directly from the tap, reducing dependence on bottled water.
Community Participation Through AMRUT Mitra
AMRUT 2.0 also brings communities, especially women, into the water governance framework. The AMRUT Mitra initiative involves women-led Self Help Groups in water demand management, water quality testing, and other sectoral activities.
So far, over 6,000 projects worth Rs. 376.95 crore have been approved under this initiative, involving more than 38,000 SHG members. Nearly 700 projects focus specifically on water quality testing, strengthening trust in urban water systems.
A Long-Term Urban Reset
Together, AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0 represent one of India’s most comprehensive attempts to fix urban infrastructure at scale. By prioritising water supply, sewerage, recycling, and community participation, the mission addresses not just today’s deficits but tomorrow’s sustainability challenges.
As cities continue to grow, the success of AMRUT lies in its shift from fragmented fixes to integrated planning, where water security, environmental protection, and quality of life move forward together.
