Question : SLUM DWELLERS

(a) the details of schemes implemented by the Government for providing housing and basic amenities to the slum/jhuggi dwellers and make all cities/ towns free from slums alongwith the funds allocated and released thereunder during each of the last three years and the current year, scheme-wise and State-wise;

(b) whether the number of slum dwellers in cities/towns with population more than 50 thousand is increasing in the country and it has reached up to 25 per cent of the total population of such cities/towns;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons responsible therefor;

(d) the efforts being made by the Government to provide basic amenities like safe drinking water, toilets and health facilities to urban slum dwellers in the country, State-wise;

(e) whether additional funds have been demanded by the various State Governments for the purpose; and

(f) If so, the details thereof and the funds provided to the State Governments during the said period, State-wise?

THE MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION (KUMARI SELJA)

(a): The Government launched the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to assist cities and towns in taking up housing and infrastructural facilities for the urban poor in select 65 cities in the country under the Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) Programme. For other cities, for taking up housing and slum upgradation programmes, the Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP) was launched. Both BSUP and IHSDP are under implementation since December-2005. The duration of JNNURM is seven years beginning from the 2005-06. Additional Central Assistance is released to States/UTs for taking up housing and infrastructural facilities for the urban poor in the country.

As a part of policy initiatives under JNNURM, the Government also launched a scheme of Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP) with an outlay of Rs.5000 crores for construction of 1 million houses for Economically weaker section (EWS)/Lower Income group (LIG)/Medium Income Group (MIG) with at least 25% for EWS category across the country.

A new scheme ‘Rajiv Awas Yojana’ (RAY) aimed at ushering in a Slum-Free India has been launched on 02-06-2011. The scheme envisages providing Central support to States that are willing to assign property rights to slum dwellers for provision of decent shelter and basic civic and social services for slum redevelopment, and for creation of affordable housing stock. The scheme is expected cover about 250 cities, across the entire country by the end of 12th Plan (2017). Funds have been released to 157 cities for for undertaking preparatory activities under Slum Free City Planning Scheme – the preparatory phase of Rajiv Awas Yojana. State-wise details of funds allocated/sanctioned and released under BSUP, IHSDP, AHP and RAY are at Annexure-I, II III and IV respectively.

(b) and (c): As per Census of India, 2001, the slum population in 785 cities/ towns with population more than 50 thousand is 23%. The reasons for increase in the number of persons living in slums in urban areas in the country, inter-alia, are:

(i) Increase in urbanization due to rural urban migration,natural increase and re-classification of rural areas into urban centres;

(ii) Inability of large section of urban society, especially the poor, to access land and housing in cities and towns, due to spiraling land prices and lack of availability of affordable housing;

(iii) Lack of provision of infrastructure and services in settlements inhabited by the poor due to long periods of inadequate investment in such facilities by urban local bodies; and

(iv) Old areas in cities and towns getting further dilapidated due to lack of maintenance and natural ageing coupled with poor quality of services.

(d): Under BSUP and IHSDP components of JNNURM, Additional Central Assistance has been provided to States/Union Territories for taking up projects of housing and related infrastructure facilities like safe drinking water, toilets and ensuring availability of universal services of health, education and social security through convergence. State-wise details are at Annexure-I & II respectively.

(e) and (f): State/Union Territory Governments have been demanding additional central support to meet cost escalation in case of sanctioned projects. As meeting such escalation is not permissible under BSUP and ISHDP Guidelines, States/UTs have been requested to meet the cost escalation out of their own funds.