The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0) scheme was launched last year in October for five years from financial year (FY) 21-22 and FY 25-26, to provide universal coverage of water supply through functional taps to all the households in all the statutory towns in India and coverage of sewerage or septage management in 500 cities which are covered in AMRUT scheme Phase-I. The scheme will promote a circular economy of water through the development of a City Water Balance Plan (CWBP) for the cities aiming at recycling or reusing treated sewage waste, rejuvenation of water bodies and water conservation. It will help the cities to identify work for the projects focusing on universal coverage of functional taps, water source conservation, rejuvenation of water bodies and wells, recycling or reuse of treated water, and rainwater harvesting. Based on the projects identified in CWBP, the scheme envisages making cities water-secure through a circular economy of water. The mission also focuses on easing the lives of the citizens through reducing the non-revenue water, recycling treated sewage water, rejuvenating water bodies, augmenting a double-entry accounting system, urban planning, strengthening urban finance and others. The cities under CWBP and project identification for City Water Action Plan (CWAP), conducting seminars for all the states and Union Territories (UTs). Currently, 3,693 cities in 31 states and UTs have initiated CWBP. From this, 1,751 cities in 16 states have submitted the CWBP. The overall indicative outlay for the mission is Rs 2,00,000 crore, including the central share of Rs 76,760 crore for the first five years. It includes funding of Rs 22,000 crore for the ongoing projects of the mission. According to the Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep S Puri, under the scheme, 124 statutory towns in Andhra Pradesh and 143 statutory towns in Telangana have been covered. The cities have prepared the CWBPs, and formulating projects have started at the city level. Image Source Also read: Drinking water supply scheme in Madhya Pradesh