Tamil Nadu's Rs 3,249 cr AMRUT plan to improve water supply

Tamil Nadu government has proposed over Rs 3,200 crore action plan to address severe water supply problem in urban areas under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).
The state government has submitted annual action plan for 2015-16 under Atal Mission with a project expenditure outlay of Rs 3,249 cr to the Urban Development Ministry.
In the state annual action plan (SAAP) for 2015-16 under AMRUT, the state government said, "Cities are facing crucial issues of water supply in terms of insufficient source and no proper coverage of water supply connections in urban areas and accordingly has accorded priority for water supply projects in AMRUT Mission cities during 2015-16," according to a release.

SAAP is prepared by integrating city level service level improvement plans (SLIPs) of all mission cities, which are again based on detailed assessment of gaps in the availability of basic infrastructure in each city.
Under SAAP for current financial year, Tamil Naidu government has proposed water supply projects in 11 of 27 Atal Mission cities with an investment of Rs 3,147 cr accounting for 97 per cent of total project expenditure. Besides, Rs 34 cr investment has been proposed for providing sewerage network services in Vellankini and Rs 69 cr for developing parks and green spaces in all 27 mission cities.

Out of the total proposed project outlay of Rs 3,249 cr, the share of central government has been estimated at Rs 1,372 cr as per the norms (one third to 50 per cent of project costs based on population of cities) while the rest will be the share of the state government and respective urban local bodies. State government will bear 20 per cent of project costs.

Atal Mission seeks to ensure basic infrastructure relating to water supply and sewerage connections to all urban households, besides, ensuring water supply at 135 liters per capita per day (lpcd), as a priority.

Tamil Nadu government after assessing gaps in basic infrastructure in the 'Mission Cities' informed that only 48 per cent of urban households in the state are having water supply connections while water supply is 81 litres per capita per day as against the norm of 135 lpcd.
Only 27 per cent of urban households are connected to sewerage network capturing only 26 per cent of total waste being generated.
Water supply in the 27 'Atal Mission' cities in Tamil Nadu ranged from a low of 30 litres per capita per day in Pallavaram to 135 lpcd in Salem, the only city where in water supply is as per the norm of 135 lpcd prescribed for urban areas.