Advocacy Project Description

The Technology Sub-Mission under AMRUT 2.0, harnesses India's start-up ecosystem to help achieve the mission's goal of "Water Secure Cities." Coordinated by MoHUA in partnership with ASCI, the initiative runs the India Water Pitch-Pilot-Scale Start-up Challenge, now institutionalized as the perpetual Start-up Gateway platform, inviting innovative solutions to urban water and used-water challenges across eight thematic areas, evaluated via a two-stage Screening and Expert Committee process.

As of August 2026, 139 start-ups have completed the projects in 92 cities, in 24 states. As part of the advocacy project, a PAN-India Impact Assessment of the Start-Up Ecosystem Programme is undertaken to evaluate the performance of few of the selected start-ups on the ground, chosen based on broad criteria such as physical completion of the pilot project, maximum number of beneficiaries reached, extent of fund utilization, and representation across geographic zones, ensuring a balanced, pan-India sample. The assessment is structured around broad indicators including Coverage & Outreach, Service Delivery & Efficiency, Wastage, Pilferages & System Deficiencies, Project Financial Health, Adherence to Hygiene & Social Equity, Socio-Economic Benefit, and Potential for Expansion & Scalability. These indicators are designed to capture the environmental, financial, social, and institutional impact of the start-up solutions deployed under the Technology Sub-Mission. This will help assess the outcomes, offering evidence-based recommendations for scaling successful models and addressing systemic gaps.