Amrut Awards: Chandigarh adjudged best UT, second overall

It has also bagged the smart city award for best UT, but among individual smart cities, Indore and Surat are joint winners

Chandigarh has ranked best among the Union Territories and retained second position among all states and UTs, after Orissa, for effective implementation of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) in the country.

Amrut is the first focused national water mission that was launched on June 25, 2015, in 500 cities, covering 60% of the urban population.

It has also bagged the smart city award for best UT. However, among individual smart cities, Indore and Surat are the joint winners for their overall development while Uttar Pradesh won the state award.

According to information shared by the Chandigarh municipal corporation, the Amrut award ceremony was held online on Friday and presided over by Hardeep Puri, minister of state (independent charge), housing and urban affairs.

Amrut is the first focused national water mission that was launched on June 25, 2015, in 500 cities, covering 60% of the urban population. Providing piped water supply and sewerage management is its main focus while stormwater drainage, non-motorised urban transport and green spaces are minor components.

“About 20,000 new sewer and water supply connections have been released so far under Amrut projects. The Chandigarh MC has completed 10 out of 12 works and balance two works are likely to be completed by September 31. We have achieved all the reforms required to be carried out under the scheme every year since 2015 and have also been given cash incentive of ₹195 lakh for achieving the milestones with respect to reforms,” said MC commissioner KK Yadav.

The 12 projects worth ₹54.09 crore, for which 100% funding was provided by the Centre, include laying of new water supply lines in uncovered areas, laying of additional sewerage system and establishment of water supply testing laboratory. “Through these projects, we are able to provide clean and safe drinking water and good sewerage network system to avoid contamination, especially in rehabilitation colonies, and increase the number of children-friendly green parks in the city,” said Yadav.

Smart city awards: No. 1 in culture

This is the first time when the ministry has given awards to states and UTs for overall performance of smart cities and for their proactive role. Earlier, only the cities were ranked and awarded for their performance under the smart city mission.

Yadav, who is also the Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) chief executive officer, said: “Except for the 24x7 pan city water supply project, all of the major projects are in advance stages of implementation, which was achieved in the last one year.”

There are 37 projects under the CSCL’s ambit. Of around ₹2,000-crore works planned under the mission, it has started implementing projects worth ₹1,225 crore.

Among cities, the awards were given across the themes of social aspects, governance, culture, urban environment, sanitation, economy, built environment, water and urban mobility.

Chandigarh managed to get the top award only in the theme of culture. It is a joint winner with Indore in the category. In rest of the themes, Chandigarh didn’t fare well and couldn’t break into the top three. Notably, the work of the restoration of the Capitol Complex, a heritage project, was carried out by the UT engineering department and not the MC.