: The city will now have to be content with the Centre’s second infrastructure development scheme, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), for 500 cities in the country.
Officials say AMRUT adopts a project approach to ensure basic infrastructure services relating to water supply, sewerage, storm water drains, transport, and development of green spaces and parks with special provision for meeting the needs of children. Its implementation will be linked to promotion of urban reforms such as e-governance, constitution of professional municipal cadre, devolving funds and functions to urban local bodies, review of building rules, improvement in assessment and collection of municipal taxes, credit rating of urban local bodies, energy and water audit, and citizen-centric urban planning.
However, Central assistance will be to the extent of 50 per cent of the project cost for cities and towns with a population of up to 10 lakh. Aid will be released in three instalments in the ratio of 20:40:40 based on the achievement of milestones in State Annual Action Plans. AMRUT seeks to lay a foundation to enable cities and towns to eventually grow into smart cities.
