Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 that the Bihar Cabinet has granted administrative approval to three urban water supply projects worth a combined ₹596.44 crore under the centrally sponsored AMRUT 2.0 Mission, targeting the towns of Khagaria, Sitamarhi, and Samastipur.

Context

Posting on X, Chief Minister Choudhary stated that the Bihar Cabinet meeting granted administrative approval of ₹170.86 crore for the Khagaria Water Supply Project, ₹197.13 crore for the Sitamarhi Water Supply Project, and ₹228.45 crore for the Samastipur Water Supply Project — all under the AMRUT 2.0 framework. He described the decisions as 'sheharvaasiyon ko swachh, surakshit evam niyamit peyjal' — an important step toward providing clean, safe, and regular drinking water to urban residents while strengthening urban infrastructure.

The three towns are district headquarters in north and central Bihar, regions that have historically faced gaps in piped water access and urban civic amenities. The cabinet approvals mark the formal green-light for project planning, tendering, and eventual construction under the centrally sponsored scheme.

Policy Backdrop

AMRUT 2.0 — the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation's second phase — was approved by the Union Cabinet in October 2021 with a total outlay of ₹2.77 lakh crore, targeting universal piped water supply to all urban households across 500 cities and towns nationwide by 2025-26. The mission is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and requires matching contributions from state governments and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

The first phase, launched in 2015 as AMRUT, focused on improving urban water supply and sanitation infrastructure. AMRUT 2.0 expanded the ambition to achieve 100 per cent tap water coverage in urban areas, with a particular emphasis on smaller district-level towns that were underserved in the first phase.

Bihar has been among the states actively seeking central approvals under the mission. The three new approvals follow a broader pattern of Bihar's state cabinet granting administrative clearances for AMRUT 2.0 projects across multiple districts, bringing centrally funded urban infrastructure to towns beyond the state's larger cities.

Stakeholders and Impact

Urban households in Khagaria, Sitamarhi, and Samastipur stand to be the primary beneficiaries, gaining access to clean, regular piped drinking water once the projects are executed. Municipal bodies in these three towns will be responsible for implementation in coordination with the state government and the central ministry.

The approvals also carry significance for Bihar's urban infrastructure scorecard. Improved water supply in district headquarters can reduce dependence on groundwater, lower waterborne disease burden, and support broader urban development goals. Contractors, local suppliers, and civil construction firms will be eligible to participate once the tendering process is initiated.

What's Next

The administrative approvals now set the stage for the tendering and procurement process for all three projects. Physical progress — including laying of pipelines, construction of treatment plants, and household tap connection drives — will unfold over the next two to three years, subject to timely contract awards and fund releases.

Progress on coverage targets and the pace of household connections in these towns will be closely watched as indicators of Bihar's urban infrastructure momentum under the AMRUT 2.0 framework ahead of the mission's national deadline.