PM Modi launches ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, AMRUT 2.0

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 on Friday. The launch took place at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. These missions have been designed with the goal of making Indian cities 'Garbage Free' and 'Water Secure'

"In 2014, the countrymen took a pledge to make India open defecation free - ODF. The countrymen fulfilled this pledge with the construction of more than 10 crore toilets. Now, the goal of `Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0` is to make Garbage-Free City, a city completely free of garbage," said PM Modi while speaking at the event.

At the event, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was also present.

"Swachh Bharat Mission has succeeded not only because of lakhs of toilets or bringing waste processing to 70 per cent but also because PM Modi made this project into a `Jan Andolan`," Puri said.

"These flagship missions signify a step forward in our march towards effectively addressing the challenges of rapidly urbanizing India and will also help contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030," said Prime Minister's Office.

He further said that the country`s target in the next phase of Mission AMRUT is `Increasing sewage and septic management, making our cities water safe cities` and ensuring that no sewage drains anywhere in our rivers.'

Swacch Bharat Mission- Urban 2.0 (SBM-U) aims to

• Make all cities `Garbage Free`
• Ensure grey and black water management in all cities
• Make all urban local bodies Open Defecation Free + (ODP+). Those with population of less than 1 lakh will be made ODF++
• Focus on source segregation of solid waste, utilizing the principles of 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle)
• Focus on scientific processing of all types of municipal solid waste and remediation of legacy dumpsites for effective solid waste management.
• The outlay of SBM-U 2.0 is around Rs 1.41 lakh crore.

AMRUT 2.0 aims to

• Provide 100 per cent coverage of water supply to all households in around 4,700 urban local bodies by providing about 2.68 crore tap connections
• Provide 100 per cent coverage of sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities by providing around 2.64 crore sewer/ septage connections, which will benefit more than 10.5 crore people in urban areas.

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.

The outlay of AMRUT 2.0 is around Rs 2.87 lakh crore.

(With inputs from agencies)