Question : Shelter for Urban Homeless

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION be pleased to state:

(a) the details of schemes being run by the Government to provide shelter to the urban homeless;

(b) the other steps taken by the Government to provide shelter to all the urban homeless in a time bound manner;

(c) whether the Ministry has sought additional funds for the current year so as to provide shelter to homeless and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the Government has undertaken mapping of homeless concentration zones in cities, State-wise including in Punjab and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(e) whether all major cities in all States and Union Territories which have a population of more than five lakh have to be provided with night shelters in a ratio of one night shelter per lakh of population equipped with basic facilities and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the number of States that have implemented the above order and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING & URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION
[RAO INDERJIT SINGH]

(a)& (b): It is the primary responsibility of the State Governments to provide shelter for the Urban Homeless people. In order to complement and supplement the initiatives taken by State/ UT, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation is implementing, through respective States/UTs, a scheme namely ‘Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH)’ as a component of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) for providing permanent shelters with basic facilities to urban homeless.

(c) : No, Madam.

(d)to(f): As per operational guidelines of SUH, it is the responsibility of the concerned states/union territories including Punjab to map the concentration areas of homeless persons. The States/UTs are authorized to sanction shelters as per guidelines. The Guidelines provide also that the shelters for urban homeless should be permanent all-weather. For every one lakh population, provision should be made for permanent community shelters for a minimum of 100 persons. Depending upon local conditions each shelter could cater to 50 or 100 persons. The implementation of provisions for establishment of shelters rests with the respective states. 815 shelters have been sanctioned by 21 States/UTs.

*****