Government launches Jal Hi AMRIT scheme and approves major metro projects in first 100 days: Union Minister Manohar Lal

New Delhi [India], October 1 (ANI): The government has introduced the Jal Hi AMRIT scheme in its first 100 days, aiming to promote efficient water management, the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal said while addressing the press on 100 days achievement of the ministry.
As per the minister, the initiative incentivises states and Union Territories (UTs) to manage sewage treatment plants (STPs) efficiently, ensuring the production of good-quality, recyclable treated water.
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and parastatal agencies are currently nominating STPs from their respective regions for this scheme, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs added, quoting the minister.
Under AMRUT 2.0, the union minister highlighted that, as part of the 100-day achievements, 68 projects worth Rs 3,020 crore and 41 projects worth Rs 3,805 crore, totalling Rs 6,825 crore, will be implemented across 13 states.
These states include Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
Overall, 263 projects worth Rs 9,352 crore will see either their inauguration or foundation laid within this period, as per the minister.
Lal emphasised during his address that the government's efforts in its first 100 days were focused on enhancing citizens' ease of living and ensuring a dignified way of life.
He also referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Housing for All initiative, where the Union Cabinet, on June 10, 2024, resolved to provide assistance to 3 crore additional rural and urban households for house construction.
The minister also discussed PMAY-U 2.0, an initiative aimed at addressing the housing needs of 1 crore families with a total investment of Rs 10 lakh crore, ensuring every citizen leads a better quality of life.
Highlighting the works done by the government on urban transport, he said that the government has approved three metro projects worth Rs 31,000 crore in its first 100 days. These include Bengaluru Metro Phase-3, Thane Internal Ring Road Metro Project, and the southward extension of the Pune Metro Rail Project.
According to the union minister, the government is also prioritising water recycling, processing, and reuse in both rural and urban areas. In line with this, the Jal Hi AMRIT scheme has been launched to further water management efforts.
Regarding the Swachh Bharat Mission and Swachhata Hi Seva 2024 Campaign, he noted that around 7.5 lakh Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) have been registered on portals, with 86 per cent of these already cleaned. (ANI)