Basic Services to Urban Poor

Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission’s submission - Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) is being implemented by Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation.  The submission focuses on:

Ø       Attention to integrated development of basic services to the urban poor.

Ø       Security of tenure at affordable price, improved housing, water supply, sanitation.

Ø       Convergence of services in fields of education, health and social security.

Ø       As far as possible providing housing near the place of occupation of the urban poor.

Ø       Effective linkage between asset creation and asset management to ensure efficiency.

Ø       Scaling up delivery of civic amenities and provision of utilities with emphasis on universal access to urban poor.

Ø       Ensuring adequate investment of funds to fulfill deficiencies in the basic services to the urban poor

The Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation Ministry has cleared 503 crore-rupee worth of projects for Hyderabad to provide infrastructure facilities in slums and in houses constructed under Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana, and for constructing dwelling units under the Integrated Infrastructure and Housing Development Scheme.

In its first meeting in New Delhi on  March 24, 2006, the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) of the sub mission on “ Basic Services to the Urban Poor”, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, gave its approval to three projects costing 11.43 crore rupees, to provide storm water drains and sewerage in the slums of the city. The Committee sanctioned over 33 crore-rupee worth of projects for providing electrification, water supply, and sewerage facilities for houses constructed under Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana. The Committee also cleared 458.15 crore rupee worth of projects to construct dwelling units and to provide electrification, water supply and sewerage facilities under the Integrated Infrastructure and  Housing Development Scheme.

Cooperation in Housing and Human Settlements

            India and South Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in Housing and Human Settlements.  The Minister for Urban Employment and  Poverty Alleviation, Kumari Selja,  and the South Africa’s Housing Minister, Dr. Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu,  signed the agreement to establish a common approach on housing and human settlement issues, to collaborate and coordinate on technical matters, exchange of experts and capacity building etc.  Both countries agreed to work together and cooperate on issues of urban employment, poverty alleviation and also to have formal and regular consultations and exchange experiences on housing and related issues.

Task Force for Urban Housing

            The Ministry has set up a Task Force to review the existing urban housing and habitat policy. The new urban housing and habitat policy will be finalised based on the recommendations of the Task Force.  The revised policy, once approved, will further increase housing access to the poor and promote private sector investment in housing for the under privileged.

Community Toilet and Sanitation Scheme

            Community Toilet and Sanitation Scheme was inaugurated on January 30, 2006, at Jhajjar in Haryana.  The model community toilet was launched by the HUDCO under the Community toilet and Sanitation Scheme.    The Scheme is for construction of community toilets in schools, institutes, hospitals, busy market places, bus stand, railway stations, slums etc. 

National Workshop on Urban Street Vendors

            The Ministry conducted a National Workshop on Urban Street Vendors in October 2005, in New Delhi.  The urban vending is not only the source of employment but also provides an affordable service to majority of urban population.  Hawkers are playing a role for the growth of national economy as well as catering to the needs of the society hence they should be given due credit.  She further informed that the Prime Minister’s Office is monitoring the implementation of the National Policy on Street Vendors.

Community based Pilot initiatives

            The UPA Government launched the Community based Pilot initiatives in Delhi as part of the National Capital Region – GOI-UNDP Project on “National Strategy for Urban Poor”.  These projects will be implemented in Bawana, Dakshin Puri, Jehangir Puri, Kalyan Puri, Madipur and Nand Nagari. 

World Habitat Day celebrations

            The Ministry  organised a week-long Artists Camp in association with HUDCO and Habiart Foundation in the capital.  This is part of World Habitat Day celebrations.

            The essence of the Art Camp is to emphasise the importance of nature and life as seen through the eyes of the artists.  The Art Camp is in keeping with the Government’s efforts in trying to promote works of art in projects supported by the Government with the aim of enhancing the quality of the environment.

A Conference of State Housing Ministers was held during November 29-30, 2004, in which it was decided to suitably revise the existing Housing and Habitat Policy through a consultative process.  The new policy is aimed at accelerating supply of serviced land and housing with particular focus to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and low Income Group (LIG) categories.

A Task Force under the chairpersonship of Secretary, Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation (UEPA) was constituted for this purpose and it gave its report. A draft Cabinet note has been sent to various ministries for their comments.   After receiving the comments the matter will be put up before the Cabinet for approval.

            During the financial year of 2005-06, an amount of Rs. 50 crore have been provided in the budget for the projects/schemes in the NER including Sikkim.  Rs. 45.06 crore has been released to executing agencies, e.g. NBCC, State governments of Manipur and Assam for various new and ongoing projects.

HUDCO

            HUDCO, during April-December 2005, has achieved sanctions of Rs. 4,596 crore providing assistance for construction of a 86,408 lakh dwelling units, over 960 sanitation units, and 62 urban infrastructure projects throughout the country.  The loan released during the year amounted to Rs. 1,833 crore.

Till December 2005, HUDCO has sanctioned 15,480 schemes, involving a total project cost of Rs. 1,54,501 crore (excludes HUDCO Niwas) with loan component of 66,639 crore. An amount of Rs. 51,404 crore has been released.  HUDCO’s assistance has helped in the construction of 145 lakh residential units, about 59 lakh sanitation units and in undertaking 1,200 urban infrastructure schemes effectively improving the living conditions in the urban and rural areas, in over 1,783 towns and thousands of villages.

            During the same period HUDCO has sanctioned loans of Rs. 635 crore for housing programme. These schemes will provide 86,408 residential units, 552 non-residential buildings and 960 sanitation units.  Out of total residential units sanctioned by HUDCO 95 per cent  are for the EWS and LIG families.  Included in above is loan sanctioned of Rs. 0.09 crore for construction of 30 dwelling units in rural areas.

National Slum Development Programme

            In 2004-05, allocation under National Slum Development Programme was enhanced from Rs. 363.94 crore to Rs. 700 crore by the Planning Commission.  As reported by the States/UTs, since the inception of the programme and upto March, 31, 2005, out of the total funds of Rs. 3,089.63 crore released by the Central Government, an amount of RS. 2,130.09 crore has been spent.  In all 68,129 slum pockets have been covered and about 4.12 crore of slum dwellers have benefited from this programme.

Swarana Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana 

            During 2004-05, Central funds amounting to Rs. 122.01 crore were released to various States/UTs for the implementation of Swarana Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY).  During this year, as reported by the States/UTs upto March 31,2005, 68,636 micro-enterprises were set up to assist the urban poor in self-employment and 1,06,394 urban poor were given skill upgradation training. In addition to this, 35.18 lakh of man-days of work were generated under the wage employment component of SJSRY.  A Task Force, under the Chairmanship of Secretary (UEPA) has been set up in the Ministry with the objective to evolve a viable micro-credit mechanism for the urban poor/informal sector.

Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana

            During the financial year 2004-05, Central subsidy of Rs. 269.41 crore was released for the construction of 1,13,004 dwelling units and 35,068 toilet seats.  The first model demonstration houses of 252 dwelling units under Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojana,  was executed in nine months by the Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) to promote proven innovative, Eco-Friendly and cost-effective Building Materials and construction technologies developed in the last few years.  The cost saving was about 20 per cent when compared to conventional construction.

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