Urban Development Ministry has approved the first batch of state level Action Plans under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) aimed at providing water supply and sewerage connections to all urban households. An inter-ministerial Apex Committee of AMRUT chaired by Urban Development Secretary Madhusudhan Prasad, cleared plans worth around Rs 2,786 crore in this regard for 89 cities in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. <br/><br/>An official release said, Mr Prasad has urged all the states to ensure water meters for all consumers in urban areas for efficient management of water supply. Our Correspondent reports that this is for the first time that the Ministry has approved state level plans unlike the past practice of appraising and approving individual projects. <br/>The approved Action Plans have a total of 143 projects in 89 AMRUT cities in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. These include 47 schemes relating to ensuring water supply connections and augmenting water supply and 31 projects for expanding sewerage network services in identified cities and towns. The rest pertain to storm water drains, urban transport and green spaces and parks. <br/><br/>Under AMRUT, Central Government provides an assistance of 50 per cent of project cost for cities with a population of up to 10 lakhs each and one third of project cost for cities with a population of above 10 lakhs each. Rest of the project cost has to be borne by the states and urban local bodies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched AMRUT in June this year aimed at urban transformation.