The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) hosted the AMRUT Mitra Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi to celebrate women-led leadership in urban water management under AMRUT 2.0. The event was chaired by Union Minister Manohar Lal and was attended by over 1,000 women and 300 officials from 30 States and Union Territories. The gathering brought together Self-Help Groups (SHGs) serving as AMRUT Mitras.

AMRUT Mitras from Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka presented accounts of livelihood improvements and community impact. Their participation covered water quality testing, billing and collection, community mobilisation, faecal sludge management operations and operation and maintenance of water assets. These activities enabled SHGs to become partners in urban service delivery.

The Union Minister said water management is a movement driven by people’s participation and that women often act as primary managers of household and community water. He noted that SHG involvement has contributed to improved service delivery, greater transparency and stronger links between citizens and urban local bodies. Empowering women in urban water management was presented as strengthening community ownership and sustainable governance.

The Ministry reiterated plans to integrate SHG women into reuse and recycling of treated wastewater, digital water management systems, smart metering and data-based monitoring. SHGs were also expected to lead city-level information, education and communication campaigns to promote water conservation and responsible use. Treated wastewater reuse was highlighted as a priority under AMRUT 2.0 as cities transition to a circular water economy.

The Minister announced a vision to extend the AMRUT Mitra model from the current 1,900 cities to 5,000 cities to deepen women-led governance in water and sanitation. More than 45,000 SHG members are currently engaged across 1,910 cities in 34 States and Union Territories, and the proposed expansion is expected to create greater livelihood opportunities and strengthen community participation in water security. The Mahotsav featured a photo exhibition, panel discussions and the launch of an AMRUT Mitra best practices compendium.