With the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Urban 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0, the government of India has shown its commitment towards addressing India's critical WASH infrastructure deficit as it urbanizes. Improving access to water sanitation and scientific management of solid and liquid wastes generated in urban areas form very critical constituents of India's climate and sustainable development goal commitments. 

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In the last 5 years, urban India has seen nearly 500 FSTP creations across the country to treat black water to combat environmental pollution. While the sludge is disposed of at the safe site and treated to meet environmental standards, now the focus of the program needs to shift to monitor the effectiveness by carrying out outcome-based monitoring for improved health and environmental outcomes which both SBM Urban and AMRUT aim to achieve. 

Speaking on the expectations from Budget 2022 on the sanitisation, Anindita Mukherjee, Associate Fellow, Centre of Policy Research said that this budget we expect the focus for both these large-scale infrastructure programmes shifts from mere output-based monitoring to a more robust outcome-based one. 

"Specifically, the SBM Urban witnessed higher budgetary allocation and expenditure, while it specifically targeted improving toilet access across the urban areas in the first phase. However, since 2019-20, the allocation, as well as expenditure, has witnessed a sustained decrease. With the COVID-19 induced multiple waves faced across the country, the renewed importance of improving in-house access to water supply and toilets, efficient and effective management of solid and liquid waste is being felt," she added. 

With higher allocation the national government will send a crucial direction to the states for prioritizing mitigatory investments in the face of the ongoing pandemic, which will have a profound impact on public health at large, while significantly reducing the disproportionate burden on the urban poor, she added. 

"While wastewater treatment got mainstreamed based on increased policy focus over the past 4-5 years, continuous innovation and monitoring impacts will form crucial inputs to the journey forward. Setting up monitoring mechanisms in consultation with the States for temporal monitoring of pollutant load on surface water, groundwater as well as soil and human health outcomes will help engagement of other states and cities," Mukherjee said.

Further, promotion of the use of recycled water in construction activities whether real estate or other public infrastructure will form a crucial part of switching to the circular perspectives and resource-efficient solutions, she concluded. 

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