Centre Awards Star Ratings to Pune’s Sewage Projects, Rs 28 Crore Grant Sanctioned
Pune, 16th May 2025: Nine sewage treatment plants (STPs) operated by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have received high performance ratings under the Central Government’s AMRUT 2.0 (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme. The Mundhwa STP received a prestigious 5-star rating, while the remaining eight STPs secured 4-star ratings, making PMC eligible for a grant of ₹28 crore from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
According to PMC’s Municipal Electricity Department Head, Manisha Shekatkar, the Central Government’s inspection teams conducted biannual assessments of these projects, examining operational efficiency, compliance with environmental norms, and use of monitoring systems such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and OCEMS (Online Continuous Effluent Monitoring System).
Performance-Based Incentive
“As per the Ministry’s announcement, STPs awarded a 5-star rating will receive ₹4 crore, while those with 4-star ratings will receive ₹3 crore each,” Shekatkar said. The Mundhwa plant, having topped the evaluation, will receive ₹4 crore, while the other eight plants will collectively receive ₹24 crore.
These inspections followed National Green Tribunal (NGT) guidelines and focused on parameters such as plant functionality, cleanliness, safety audits, and environmental impact. The star ratings are part of a broader push to encourage quality and sustainability in urban sewage treatment infrastructure under AMRUT 2.0.
Future Plans and Upgrades
Pune currently operates nine municipal STPs to process the city’s wastewater. However, as several of these plants are nearing the end of their operational life, PMC has begun constructing 10 new STPs under the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency)-funded River Improvement Project. Work on these plants is currently in progress.
In the meantime, PMC has upgraded existing STPs to align with revised national standards, especially in terms of treated water quality. The newly received grant will be used exclusively for further technological upgrades at the rated plants, Shekatkar confirmed.
