🗞️ Why in News Despite ₹1.93 lakh crore spending under AMRUT across 3,500 projects, structural failures in fund allocation caused public health crises in cities like Indore.

Key Data

  • Total spending: ₹1,93,104 crore across 3,500 projects
  • Fund allocation: 62% to long-distance water supply piping, only 34% to sewerage, 3% to local waterbodies
  • Structural failure: Untreated sewage from unconnected septic tanks leaked into expensively pumped distant drinking water

Critical Evaluation

  • Skewed “pipes-first” approach directly caused water contamination disasters
  • Policy must shift to “sewage-first” and local waterbody rejuvenation approach

UPSC Angle

  • GS2: Urban governance, infrastructure planning
  • GS3: Water supply, sanitation, public health