Investments in Urban Sector of India Rise 16 Times: Government

New Delhi, Dec 20 (NationPress) The investments in the urban sector in India have surged 16 times as the government aims to achieve the 'Viksit Bharat' objective by 2047, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Friday.

As part of the Smart Cities Mission (SCM), work orders have been issued for 8,066 projects totaling Rs 1,64,669 crore, with 7,352 projects (representing 91 percent of the total) worth Rs 1,47,366 crore successfully completed, based on data from 100 Smart Cities.

Under the 'Swachh Bharat Mission', over Rs 1,123 crore has been allocated for projects across nine states—Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal—aimed at solid waste and wastewater management, along with information, education and communication (IEC) and capacity-building initiatives.

The ministry highlighted significant achievements under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), including a 4,649 megalitres per day (MLD) water treatment capacity and a 4,429 MLD sewage treatment capacity.

With AMRUT 2.0, the government is focusing on stormwater drainage systems to combat waterlogging issues, while also enhancing drinking water supply and sewerage systems, as stated by the ministry.

A new rental housing initiative has been launched under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) 2.0, which will benefit various groups including migrants, working women, industrial workers, the homeless, students, and other beneficiaries.

To optimize operations, sanctions to states will be finalized based on a demand survey due by March 31, 2025, which will clarify annual housing allocations. Additionally, over 6 lakh houses have received in-principal approval under PMAY-U 2.0, marking a significant step forward in the scheme's implementation, according to the ministry.

A restructured National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) is set to be launched soon, based on a pilot project currently active in 25 cities, including industrial centers and migration hubs. The mission aims to uplift approximately 2.5 crore urban poor households socio-economically.

The government has mobilized over 1 crore urban poor women into more than 9.96 lakh self-help groups (SHGs) and their federations, such as Area Level Federation (ALF) and City Level Federation (CLF).