Tamil Nadu has proposed a Rs.3,249-crore project under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) programme, the union ministry of urban development said on Thursday.
As much as 97 percent of the proposed outlay under the annual action plan for 2015-16 will be for water supply schemes in the state, the ministry said in a statement.
An inter-ministerial apex committee headed by the union urban development secretary will soon take a decision on the state government's proposals, the statement added.
"Cities are facing crucial issues of water supply in terms of insufficient source and no proper coverage of water supply connections in urban areas. Accordingly, priority has been accorded to water supply projects in AMRUT Mission cities during 2015-16," the central ministry quoted the State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) for 2015-16 given by the Tamil Nadu government as stating.
Under SAAP for the current financial year, Tamil Nadu government proposed water supply projects in 11 of the 27 Atal Mission cities with an investment of Rs.3,147 crore, accounting for 97 percent of total project expenditure.
Besides, investment of Rs.34 crore has been proposed to provide sewerage services in Vellankanni and Rs.69 crore for developing parks and green spaces in all 27 mission cities.
Of the proposed project outlay of Rs.3,249 crore, the central government's share would be an estimated Rs.1,372 crore while the rest would be shared by the state government and respective urban local bodies.
Tamil Nadu has said it will bear 20 percent of the project cost.
AMRUT seeks to ensure basic infrastructure relating to water supply and sewerage connections to all urban households, besides ensuring water supply at 135 litres per capita per day as a priority.
According to the statement, the Tamil Nadu government assessed the gaps in basic infrastructure in mission cities and found only 48 percent of urban households in the state have water supply connections while water supply was 81 litres per capita per day as against the 135-litre norm.
Only 27 percent of the urban households have sewerage connections, collecting only 26 percent of the total sewage generated.
Water supply in 27 Atal Mission cities in Tamil Nadu ranged from a low of 30 litres per capita per day in Pallavaram, a Chennai suburb, to 135 litres per capita per day in Salem, the only city where water supply matched the norm.
In Chennai, water supply was 58 litres per capita per day.
