A Parliamentary Standing Committee flagged a major gap between training and employment under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), highlighting low wages, poor retention and distress migration.
What is DDU-GKY?
Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.
Launched: 2014.
Target: Poor rural youth aged 15–35 years.
Nature: Placement-linked skill development scheme.
Training providers are assessed on training, placement and post-placement retention.
Implemented through Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs).
Key Findings of the Committee
18.38 lakh youth trained and 11.94 lakh placed as of March 2026.
Low wages and relocation costs lead to early job exits.
9.65 lakh women trained and 6.03 lakh placed.
PIAs focus more on initial placement than sustained employment.
Major Challenges
Skill-training does not match labour market demand.
Poor training quality and infrastructure.
Low wages reduce job retention.
Migration creates financial and social pressures.
Weak post-placement tracking.
Committee Recommendations
Near 100% placement tracking.
Mandatory industry linkages and local placement drives.
District-level placement cells.
Migration assistance, mentorship and retention support.
Assess PIAs on sustained employment, not just initial placement.
Set and monitor minimum wage employment targets.
Skill Development Initiatives
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
DAY-NRLM
Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs)
Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP)
Skill India Digital
[2023, GS2, 15 marks] Skill development programs have succeed in increasing human resources supply to various sectors. In the context of the statement analyze the linkages between education, skill and employment.”
[2018] With reference to Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements:
It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
It, among other things will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.
It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Centre has extended the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme for electric two wheelers till 31 March 2028 and halved the per unit incentive to Rs 2,500 per kilowatt hour from Rs 5,000 earlier. The move signals a planned tapering of demand support as electric two wheeler costs fall and the market matures.
What is the PM E-DRIVE Scheme?
What it is: PM E-DRIVE is the central scheme providing demand incentives and support infrastructure for electric mobility, administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. It succeeds the earlier FAME programme as the main demand side push for electric vehicles.
Outlay and duration: It carries an outlay of Rs 11,900 crore and is implemented from 1 April 2024 till 31 March 2028.
Two wheeler support: For electric two wheelers, the scheme sets a total fund support of Rs 2,767 crore from the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
What has changed?
Timeline extended: The electric two wheeler segment has been extended till 31 March 2028.
Incentive halved: The per unit incentive is cut to Rs 2,500 per kilowatt hour from Rs 5,000 per kilowatt hour earlier.
Per vehicle cap lowered: The incentive is capped at Rs 5,000 per vehicle, down from Rs 10,000 per vehicle in FY 2024-25.
Eligibility window: Registered electric two wheelers can avail the Rs 2,500 per kilowatt hour incentive for the period between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2028.
Price ceiling: The maximum ex factory price for an electric two wheeler to qualify is Rs 1.5 lakh.
Lower of two limits: The incentive is limited to the specified cap or 15 per cent of the ex factory price of the electric two or three wheeler, whichever is lower, and is subject to periodic review as vehicle costs fall.
Back2Basics: PM E-DRIVE Scheme
Ministry: Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Launch year: 2024, implemented from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2028.
Outlay: Rs 11,900 crore.
Aim: Accelerate adoption of electric vehicles and build charging and testing infrastructure.
Beneficiaries: Buyers of electric two, three, and heavier vehicles, state transport undertakings, and charging infrastructure providers.
Government Initiatives for Electric Mobility
FAME India (Phase I and II): Earlier demand incentive scheme for electric and hybrid vehicles.
PLI Auto Scheme: Production Linked Incentive for advanced automotive technology products.
PLI ACC Battery Scheme: Incentive for domestic advanced chemistry cell battery manufacturing.
Vehicle Scrappage Policy: Phasing out unfit vehicles to spur cleaner replacements.
e-AMRIT portal: A one stop information platform on electric vehicles.
Key Facts about PM E-DRIVE
Successor scheme: PM E-DRIVE succeeds FAME II as the flagship electric mobility scheme.
Incentive metric: Support is calculated per kilowatt hour of battery capacity.
Segment coverage: Covers electric two wheelers, three wheelers, buses, trucks, and ambulances, plus charging infrastructure.
Challenges to Electric Vehicle Adoption
Charging infrastructure gap: Public charging networks remain thin outside major cities.
Battery import dependence: Reliance on imported cells and critical minerals raises cost and supply risk.
High upfront cost: Purchase prices stay above comparable petrol vehicles despite incentives.
Range and grid strain: Range anxiety and grid readiness limit uptake in some segments.
Recycling burden: End of life battery disposal needs robust recycling systems.
Incentive dependence: Demand remains sensitive to the level and continuity of subsidies.
“[2023, GS3, 15 marks] The adoption of electric vehicles is rapidly growing worldwide. How do electric vehicles contribute to reducing carbon emissions and what are the key benefits they offer compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles?”
[2025] With reference to India, consider the following pairs: Organization Union Ministry 1. The National Automotive BoardMinistry of Commerce and Industry 2. The Coir BoardMinistry of Heavy Industries 3. The National Centre for Trade InformationMinistry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment flagged delays in constructing and operationalising Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS). Only 428 of 728 sanctioned schools have been completed, while 118 continue from government or rented buildings.
What is EMRS?
EMRS: Eklavya Model Residential Schools.
Provides free residential education from Classes 6 to 12 to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in tribal-majority and remote areas.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Managing body: National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS).
Aim: Improve educational access while preserving tribal cultural identity.
What did the Panel Find?
428/728 schools completed.
249 under construction.
51 at pre-construction stage.
118 schools operate from temporary government/rented buildings.
Delays have caused construction cost escalation.
Panel suggested an independent monitoring agency and an alternative implementation mechanism.
Scholarship Concerns
Scholarship funds are often released in the next academic year due to delays in State/Union Territory verification.
The Committee criticised the repeated explanation that States need more time for verification.
It also recommended reviewing the ₹8 lakh annual income ceiling for the free coaching scheme for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Government accepted 14 of 25 recommendations; the panel rejected responses on four issues.
Why is Implementation Weak?
Federal dependence: Central schemes depend on States for construction and verification.
Weak monitoring: Delays accumulate without independent oversight.
Cost escalation: Delays increase construction costs and budget requirements.
Portal mismatch: Scholarship portals and State verification timelines do not align well.
Constitutional Framework
Article 15(4): Enables special provisions for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes and STs.
Article 46: Directs the State to promote educational and economic interests of STs.
Article 275(1): Provides Central grants for tribal welfare and Scheduled Areas.
Article 342: Specifies Scheduled Tribes.
Fifth & Sixth Schedules: Provide special arrangements for administration of Scheduled and tribal areas.
Back2Basics: EMRS
Full form: Eklavya Model Residential Schools.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Implementing body: NESTS, National Education Society for Tribal Students.
Classes: 6 to 12.
Target: ST students in tribal-majority and remote areas.
Purpose: Quality residential education with cultural preservation.
Key Government Initiatives
Pre-Matric & Post-Matric Scholarships: Financial support for ST students.
National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students: Supports higher education.
PM-JANMAN: Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan, focused on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan: Development of tribal villages.
Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana: Umbrella framework for tribal development.
The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) completed 10 years, connecting around 1.37 lakh government buyers with 25 lakh sellers/service providers and achieving nearly ₹20 lakh crore cumulative Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).
What is GeM?
GeM: Government e-Marketplace.
Launched on 9 August 2016.
A digital platform for government procurement of goods and services.
Replaced the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D).
Integrates product discovery, bidding, contract award and payment.
How does GeM Improve Procurement?
End-to-end digitisation: Covers the complete procurement cycle.
Transparency: Creates an auditable digital trail.
Reduced discretion: Limits face-to-face interaction and scope for favouritism.
Single window: Simplifies registration and standardises procurement.
Inclusion: Gives Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), start-ups and women-led firms direct access to government buyers.
What Does the Data Show?
Cumulative GMV: About ₹20 lakh crore.
Buyers: 1.37 lakh.
Sellers/service providers: 25 lakh.
Categories: 10,644 product and 350 service categories.
MSEs: Around 60% of orders by volume and over 45% of GMV.
Measured benefit: IIT Delhi study estimated ₹86,571.69 crore in benefits over the last three financial years through price and process efficiencies.
What Problems Does GeM Address?
Reduces corruption and procurement discretion.
Improves Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) for suppliers.
Expands opportunities for MSMEs and start-ups.
Enables faster procurement.
Promotes competitive prices and better use of public funds.
Supports domestic manufacturing and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
What is Public Procurement?
Public procurement is the process through which government bodies purchase goods, works and services using public funds.
Core principles: Transparency, Fair competition, Non-discrimination, Value for money, and Accountability
Challenges
Quality assurance: Risk of substandard products in a large digital catalogue.
MSME payment delays: Delayed payments affect working capital.
Bid rigging: Cartelisation can undermine competition.
Digital divide: Smaller sellers may lack connectivity or digital skills.
Grievance redress: Delays in resolving quality, delivery and payment disputes.
Cybersecurity: Concentration of procurement data increases cyber risks.
Back2Basics: GeM
Full form: Government e-Marketplace.
Launch: 9 August 2016.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Predecessor: DGS&D, Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals.
Purpose: Transparent and efficient government procurement.
Users: Government buyers, sellers and service providers.
Focus: Particularly beneficial for MSMEs, start-ups and women entrepreneurs.
Government Initiatives
Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order, 2017: Preference for domestically manufactured goods.
Public Procurement Policy for MSEs, 2012: Procurement preference for Micro and Small Enterprises.
Vivad se Vishwas for MSMEs: Relief mechanism for eligible MSME contractual disputes.
Person-days under the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) fell 49.94% year-on-year in July 2026, its first month of implementation, compared with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The decline has raised concerns about moving from a demand-driven legal guarantee to a more centralised, technology-dependent model.
What is the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)?
About: VB-G RAM G is the central rural employment and livelihood scheme that replaced MGNREGA. It is administered by the Union Rural Development Ministry.
Design shift: Access is made increasingly dependent on technology and biometric authentication, and the scheme is centralised rather than run through gram panchayats.
Key change: Critics state it removes the legal guarantee of employment that defined MGNREGA, converting an entitlement into a discretionary programme.
What is a person-day and why is the July figure significant?
Person-day: A person-day is a unit that measures the amount of work done by one person in a working day, the standard metric for employment generated under rural works schemes.
The fall: Person-days generated in July 2026 were 49.94% lower than those generated under MGNREGA in July of the previous year, roughly halving recorded rural work in the first implementing month.
Why has the Opposition attacked the new scheme?
Loss of guaranteed work: The scrapping of MGNREGA stripped millions of families of their “right to work”, replaced by a scheme that wiped out around 50% of labourer employment in the first month.
Centralisation: The scheme centralises delivery and imposes a heavy financial burden on State governments, weakening the earlier panchayat-led model.
Technology gating: Making access dependent on technology and biometric authentication makes it harder for workers to claim their rights.
Loss of local autonomy: MGNREGA had empowered gram panchayats and freed workers from dependence on the political whims of the government of the day.
Pending dues: Rs 17,144 crore in pending MGNREGA funds to the States was flagged as unpaid.
What wider distress does the data point to?
Kharif shortfall: There is a 26.50% shortfall in sowing for the kharif crop, raising the demand for rural wage work at the very moment the scheme has contracted.
Drought assistance gap: The Opposition questioned whether any assistance had been provided to drought-affected States.
Funding pattern dispute: Even BJP-ruled States had demanded a review of the funding pattern of VB-G RAM G, indicating cross-party concern over State fiscal burden.
Conclusion
The near-halving of person-days in the first month captures the core risk of replacing a demand-driven legal guarantee with a centralised, technology-gated scheme, that the guarantee itself, not the branding, was what protected rural workers in distress. The data release coincides with a kharif sowing shortfall and State demands to review the funding pattern. The next test is whether the government revises the funding model and restores enrolment before the lean agricultural season deepens rural unemployment.
What is a demand-driven employment guarantee?
About: It is a legal framework under which the state must provide wage employment on demand to any eligible household, making work an enforceable entitlement rather than a target-based programme.
Rationale: It exists to provide a rural safety net during agricultural distress and to set a wage floor, with the guarantee acting as automatic stabiliser when other work dries up.
Distinguishing feature: Provision is triggered by the worker’s demand, not by a fixed budget or administrative ceiling, so contraction in person-days signals suppressed or unmet demand.
Wage payment delays: Chronic delays in wage disbursal erode the entitlement’s value and deter workers.
Fund devolution to States: Centralised control and delayed release strain State finances and stall works.
Technology exclusion: Biometric and app-based attendance systems exclude workers with poor connectivity or authentication failures.
Suppressed demand: Administrative rationing and closed muster rolls understate genuine demand for work.
Back2Basics: MGNREGA
Full name: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, a UPA-era law.
Ministry: Union Ministry of Rural Development.
Aim: Guaranteed at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.
Beneficiaries: Adult members of any rural household, without a poverty-line or caste restriction.
Design features: Legal right to work, demand-driven provision, works planned and executed through gram panchayats, and an unemployment allowance if work is not provided in time.
Government Initiatives / Schemes for Rural Livelihoods
VB-G RAM G: The current central rural employment and livelihood mission that replaced MGNREGA.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM): Promotes self-help groups and self-employment for rural poor women.
The government is in the final planning stages of the third phase of the intra-state Green Energy Corridor (GEC) and has sent the scheme to the Union Cabinet for approval. The phase carries an outlay of more than Rs 50,000 crore and targets the evacuation of about 135 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy, marking a shift towards strengthening transmission from renewable-energy rich States.
What is the Green Energy Corridor (GEC)?
Renewable evacuation network: GEC is a scheme to build transmission infrastructure that carries electricity from renewable-energy rich areas to demand centres.
Grid synchronisation: It links variable solar and wind generation with conventional power stations in the grid so that renewable power can be evacuated reliably from one location to another.
What does GEC Phase III propose?
Cabinet stage: The third phase has been sent to the Union Cabinet for final approval.
Outlay: The scheme carries an outlay of more than Rs 50,000 crore.
Evacuation target: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) aims to evacuate about 135 GW of renewable energy in this phase.
Focus area: The phase concentrates on augmenting intra-state transmission lines in renewable-energy rich States.
Why have earlier phases faced delays?
Right of way: Difficulty in securing right of way for transmission lines held up Phase I.
Award delays: Delay in awarding project packages slowed progress.
Forest clearances: Delays in forest clearances stalled work.
Great Indian Bustard clearances: Clearances tied to the protection of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard (GIB), whose habitat overlaps solar and wind zones in Rajasthan and Gujarat, delayed Phase I.
State and regulatory issues: Non-participation of States during tendering, tender consultation and regulatory issues affected Phase II.
Conclusion:
GEC Phase III awaits Cabinet clearance and, if approved, will extend intra-state transmission capacity to evacuate about 135 GW of renewable power. With most Phase II packages already awarded and expected to complete within two years, the next milestone is Cabinet approval and the resolution of recurring right-of-way, forest and GIB clearance bottlenecks that have delayed earlier phases.
Back2Basics: Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Scheme
Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Objective: Build intra-state and inter-state transmission systems to evacuate renewable power.
Structure: Implemented in phases, with intra-state components handled by State transmission utilities.
Support: Funded through a mix of central grants, State contributions and multilateral loans.
Beneficiaries: Renewable-energy rich States and the wider grid.
About Renewable Energy Transmission in India
Definition: Renewable energy transmission moves power generated from solar, wind and other renewable sources to consumption centres across States.
Why it matters: Renewable generation is concentrated in a few resource-rich States, so evacuation infrastructure is essential to avoid stranded capacity.
India’s standing: India is among the world’s largest renewable energy markets and has set large capacity addition targets for 2030.
Structural feature: Variable renewable output requires grid balancing with conventional and storage capacity.
Government Initiatives for Renewable Energy
National Solar Mission: Promotes large-scale solar deployment under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.
PM-KUSUM: Supports solar pumps and grid-connected solar for farmers.
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana: Promotes rooftop solar for households.
Production Linked Incentive for solar modules: Builds domestic solar manufacturing capacity.
Green Hydrogen Mission: Promotes production of green hydrogen using renewable power.
Key Facts about India’s Renewable Energy Sector
2030 target: India aims for 500 GW of non-fossil fuel electricity capacity by 2030.
Nodal ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Grid operator: Grid Controller of India manages national load dispatch.
Species overlap: The Great Indian Bustard is a critically endangered species whose habitat intersects renewable zones, driving clearance conditions.
Challenges in Renewable Energy Transmission
Land and right of way: Acquiring land and corridors for transmission lines is slow and contested.
Clearance delays: Forest and wildlife clearances, including GIB-related conditions, hold up projects.
State coordination: Uneven State participation in tendering and implementation delays intra-state work.
Fast-track clearances: Streamline forest and wildlife clearances with mitigation for GIB habitat, including undergrounding of lines where feasible.
Strengthen State participation: Improve incentives and coordination for State utilities in tendering.
Expand storage: Scale up battery and pumped-hydro storage alongside transmission.
Timely awards: Reduce delays in awarding and executing project packages.
Grid modernisation: Invest in smart grids and forecasting to manage variable generation.
PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2022] Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain.
Linkage: The PYQ examines India’s transition towards renewable energy and the challenges in achieving its 2030 targets. GEC Phase III strengthens renewable energy evacuation and grid infrastructure. This supports India’s 2030 renewable-energy targets.
After replacing MGNREGS on 1 July 2026, the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-GRAM G] recorded nearly a 50% year-on-year decline in rural employment generated during its first month.
What is VB-GRAM G?
New framework: Replaced MGNREGS from 1 July 2026.
Employment guarantee: Increased from 100 to 125 days per rural household.
Digital monitoring: Retains face-authentication-based attendance.
Why did employment fall?
Transition friction: Migration of registrations, job cards and payment systems disrupted work allocation.
Sowing season: Provision for pausing employment demand during peak agricultural operations reduced July person-days.
Comparability issue: Comparing July 2026 with July 2025 may exaggerate the decline because the institutional framework has changed.
Implementation lag: Initial administrative bottlenecks may have temporarily reduced employment generation.
MGNREGS: Back to Basics
Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.
Legal basis:MGNREGA, 2005.
Guarantee: At least 100 days of wage employment per rural household.
An investigation found that a large share of soft loans under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund went to firms linked to the fund’s own selection panel. The tension is between fast tracking private deep tech financing and preserving impartial public fund governance.
What is the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund?
Corpus: A Rs 1 lakh crore fund to provide low cost, long tenure financing for private research and deep technology.
Anchor body: It operates under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) framework, with the Technology Development Board (TDB) disbursing loans.
What is the conflict of interest concern?
Panel linkage: Members of the selection panel had financial ties to firms that received public funding.
Concentration: A majority of the sanctioned loans went to entities connected to those approving them.
What safeguards does the government cite?
Super majority: Approvals require a super majority of the selection committee.
Stake disqualification: Members holding a stake above a threshold are barred from that decision.
Cost cap: Public funding is capped at a share of total project cost.
Disclosure: Members must declare any negative interest before voting.
Why does the safeguard design still draw scrutiny?
Small expert pool: India’s narrow deep tech expert base makes overlaps between funders and funded hard to avoid.
Verification gap: Declared interests need independent audit to prevent capture.
An investigation found that 15 of the 22 companies receiving the first round of assistance from the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund had investment links with members of the fund’s selection committee. The panel approved Rs 2,192 crore in soft loans, raising concerns over conflict of interest and transparency.
What is the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund?
Definition: A Rs 1 lakh crore fund to support private sector research in strategic and deep tech sectors.
Focus Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technology, Space, Defence, Robotics, Clean Energy, Semiconductors and Digital Healthcare.
Financial Support: Collateral free loans up to 50% of project cost, at 2 to 4% interest for up to 15 years.
Custodian: Managed through a Special Purpose Fund under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
Fund Managers: Loans are disbursed through Second Level Fund Managers (SLFMs), currently the Technology Development Board (TDB) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
How are companies selected?
Investment Committees: Each SLFM forms an independent investment committee to evaluate proposals.
Composition: The TDB committee had 12 members, largely from private equity and technology, with one non voting government representative.
Eligibility: Projects must have achieved at least Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4, meaning laboratory validation is complete.
Selection Criteria: Scientific, technological, financial and commercial viability, with decisions taken by majority vote.
What did the investigation reveal?
Conflict Links:15 of 22 beneficiaries had investment ties with 7 committee members.
Funding Concentration: These firms received over Rs 1,377 crore of the total approved amount.
Chairman’s Role: Nine selected firms were linked to the committee chairman, who reportedly also held a personal stake in one beneficiary.
Committee’s Defence: Members stated that interests were disclosed and they recused themselves from related decisions.
Governance Concern: The episode has renewed demands for stronger safeguards in the use of public funds.
Existing safeguards
Mandatory disclosure of financial interests by committee members.
Recusal from decisions involving associated companies.
Background verification of applicants by fund managers.
Expert driven selection to improve technical assessment.
However, only two SLFMs currently operate the scheme, concentrating decision making and highlighting the need for greater transparency.
Back2Basics: Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund
Launched: 2025
Corpus: Rs 1 lakh crore
Nodal Framework: Operates under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
Objective: Provide long term, low cost financing for private sector research in deep tech and strategic sectors.
Implementing Agencies: Technology Development Board (TDB) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) as Second Level Fund Managers.
Key Feature: Collateral free loans covering up to 50% of project cost through independent investment committees.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs reported that only about 30% of urban households under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) have a sewerage connection. It flagged slow progress and inter state gaps in sanitation infrastructure.
What is AMRUT?
Flagship civic scheme: AMRUT is the Union government’s flagship urban civic infrastructure mission, providing water supply, sewerage, septage, stormwater drains and green spaces.
Two phases: AMRUT (2015 to 2021) covered 500 cities, and AMRUT 2.0 (from 2021) covers all statutory towns with a focus on universal water and sewerage coverage.
What did the parliamentary panel find?
Low sewerage coverage: Of 11.32 crore urban households, only 3.44 crore had sewerage connections and 2.84 crore relied on septage systems, per the City Water Balance Plans (2025).
Inter state variation: Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar depend more on septage than on sewer networks.
Network gap: Of 59,261 km of approved sewer network, only 27,418 km has been laid so far.
Why does the sewerage gap persist?
Small share of projects: Of 8,743 projects approved under AMRUT 2.0, only 594 (about 6.79%) relate to sewerage and septage management.
Slow completion: Only 104 of those 594 sewerage projects (17.51%) are complete, while 398 (67%) remain under implementation.
Funds pending: Only Rs 22,762 crore of the Rs 66,059 crore committed as central assistance has been released.
What did the committee recommend?
Database and audit: The Ministry should build a database of existing sewer networks, functional status and household connectivity gaps and carry out periodic assessments.
End manual cleaning: Manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks should be eliminated.
Challenges to urban sanitation delivery
Weak urban local bodies: Municipal bodies often lack the finances and technical staff to build and operate sewage treatment plants.
Trunk versus last mile: Laying trunk sewer lines without household connections leaves treatment capacity underused.
Cost recovery: User charges for sewerage are politically difficult, so operation and maintenance is chronically underfunded.
Land and legacy: Retrofitting sewer networks into dense, unplanned settlements is slow and expensive.
Faecal sludge gap: Cities dependent on septic tanks lack faecal sludge treatment plants, so untreated waste re enters water bodies.
AMRUT
Launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Aims at universal household water supply and sewerage or septage coverage in urban areas.
AMRUT 2.0, launched in 2021, targets all statutory towns and water body rejuvenation.
Beneficiaries are urban households, with a stated focus on the urban poor.
[2022]Consider the following statements 1. The India Sanitation Coalition is a platform to promote sustainable sanitation and is funded by the Government of India and the World Health Organization. 2. The National Institute of Urban Affairs is an apex body of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in Government of India and provides innovative solutions to address the challenges of Urban India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
