Construction of septic tanks is not an admissible component under Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 launched on 1st October, 2021 across all the states. A new component of Used Water Management (UWM) is included under SBM-U 2.0 for waste water management for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with population less than 1 lakh. Under UWM component Central Financial Assistance is provided to all the State Governments/ Union Territory Administrations for taking up following activities:

• Setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs)/ STP-cum- Fecal Sludge Treatment plants FSTP; for used water treatment,

• Laying Interception and Diversion (I&D) structures including provision of pumping stations and pumping main/gravity main upto STP and

• Procuring adequate numbers of septic tank desludging equipments.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Housing & Urban Affairs, Shri Kaushal Kishore, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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RJ/SJ