Srinagar, Feb 12 (KNO): The Government of India has approved financial assistance of ₹666.95 crore for Jammu and Kashmir under the Solid Waste Management (SWM) component of Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U) 2.0, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.
Replying to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said the funds have been allocated to strengthen scientific management of garbage and solid waste in urban areas across the Union Territory.
The Ministry said sanitation is a State subject and the Centre supplements the efforts of States and UTs by providing financial and technical support, policy guidance and standard operating procedures for effective waste management.
The government further informed that under the AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0 schemes, Jammu and Kashmir has been sanctioned 18 sewerage and septage management projects—15 projects worth ₹137.26 crore under AMRUT and three projects costing ₹373.35 crore under AMRUT 2.0 to improve sewage treatment infrastructure in urban areas.
The Ministry said the initiatives are aimed at improving urban sanitation, enhancing waste processing capacity and ensuring better sewage management to make cities cleaner and environmentally sustainable.
At the national level, the government noted that 97 percent wards have achieved door-to-door waste collection and 88 percent wards have achieved source segregation, under SBM-U 2.0.
The progress of sanitation initiatives is monitored through annual third-party assessments under the Swachh Survekshan, the Ministry added—(KNO)