Efforts aimed at improving water supply and wastewater treatment in India have intensified due to the heightened effects of climate change and rising water crisis. The government has become aware of the urgency of the situation and is taking significant steps in this direction.
Budgetary support
- In the Union Budget 2024-25, funds worth Rs 213.23 billion have been allocated to the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Of this, Rs 33.46 billion has been allocated to Namami Gange Mission II. Additionally, Rs 773.91 billion has been allocated to the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Of this, Rs 701.63 billion was allocated to the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
- Funds worth Rs 825.77 billion have been allocated to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, of which Rs 80 billion is allocated to Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0.
- The central government has also announced plans to promote water supply and sewage treatment projects and services for 100 large cities through bankable projects in partnership with the state governments and multilateral development banks. These projects aim to use treated water for irrigation activities and recycle water in nearby tanks.
Progress under government schemes
- As of July 25, 2024, 841 storm drainage projects, 889 sewerage and septage management projects and 1,390 water supply projects have been grounded under the AMRUT scheme, and 14.9 million sewer connections (including households covered with faecal sludge and septage management) have been provided through AMRUT in convergence with other schemes.
- As of August 2024, under the JJM, out of a total of around 193 million rural households, 151 million households (around 78 per cent) have been provided with a functional tap water connection.
- As of July 2024, under the National Mission for Clean Ganga, a total of 245 projects have been completed. This includes 222 sewage treatment projects, eight industrial effluent treatment projects, 12 surveillance and monitoring projects and three research and development of water quality and sewage treatment-related project.
Improving the water supply network
- Various key water supply projects achieved significant milestones during 2023-24. This includes the inauguration of the 24×7 Manimajra Pilot Water Supply Project in Chandigarh, and various water supply projects in Gujarat, such as the underground drainage project in Bharuch and drinking water supply improvement projects in Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad and Banaskantha. Similarly, other states also inaugurated projects such as the Surya Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme (WSS) in Maharashtra and the Uddanam Drinking Water Project in Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, the trial runs of the Pillur WSS Phase I and Mullaperiyar Drinking WSS in Tamil Nadu have also been completed recently.
- Various large-scale and big-ticket projects have also been recently awarded, such as the 24×7 Ludhiana Bulk Water Supply Project in Punjab; the Amravati Water Supply Augmentation Scheme, the Yewai MBR-Tarali-Kasheli water supply tunnel and the Kasheli-Mulund water conveyance tunnel in Maharashtra; the South Guwahati West Water Supply Project in Assam; and the augmentation of the Ayodhya WSS in Uttar Pradesh.
Initiatives for wastewater treatment
- Various important wastewater and sewage treatment projects have been completed recently. These include Asia’s largest sewage treatment plant (STP) with 564 million litres per day (mld) of capacity, which has been partially completed in Okhla, Delhi, with plans under way to begin its operations. Other projects completed this year include the Jajmau Common Effluent Treatment Plant project, the Pankha (Kanpur) Sewerage Project, the Jajmau Zone Sewerage Rehabilitation Project in Uttar Pradesh and three interception and diversion (I&D) and STP-based projects in West Bengal.
- Several key projects have been awarded, such as the Bhandup Complex Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and the Yavatmal Underground Sewerage Scheme in Maharashtra, the Vasna STP in Gujarat, and the Indore Sewerage Project in Madhya Pradesh. Further, large-scale projects have been announced, such as the Red Hills and Surapet WTP Upgradation Project in Tamil Nadu; the Pora River Rejuvenation Project (in Nagpur) and the Wadgaon Budruk WTP project in Maharashtra; the Kosasthalaiyar and Kovalam Basins Stormwater Drainage Project in Chennai, Tamil Nadu; and the Ranchi Sewerage Project in Jharkhand.
- The central government has allocated funds worth Rs 2 billion for the Chandrawal WTP under the Union Budget 2024-25. The Pune River Rejuvenation Project and the Nag River Pollution Abatement Project in Maharashtra, including the construction of STPs, have also received an allocation of funds worth Rs 6.9 billion and Rs 5 billion, respectively, under the budget.
Promoting desalination projects
- The Nemmeli Water Desalination Plant in Tamil Nadu, with a capacity of 150 mld, and the 5 mld desalination plant at the Odisha Sand Complex in Ganjam, Odisha, were inaugurated in February 2024 and March 2024 respectively. The Perur Desalination Plant Project with a capacity of 400 mld, currently under construction, is likely to be completed by 2027.
