Tuesday, May 22, 2012


UNICEF Report on World’s Children, 2012
The Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja has said that as per Census 2001, five states namely Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu account for 55.7% of the total slum population.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today she said, Slum is a state subject. However, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation is implementing the following schemes for slum dwellers and urban poor across the country including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

She said, the Basic Services to the Urban Poor and Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programmes under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission which have been launched in December 2005 and focus on basic services to the urban poor and integrated development of slums. Under this project, 1615 projects under BSUP and IHSDP with a total project cost of Rs. 42501 crores for constructing 16.02 lakh houses have been sanctioned till 31st March 2012.

The Minister said, in pursuance of the Government’s vision of creating a Slum-free India, a new scheme ‘Rajiv Awas Yojana’ (RAY) has been launched on 02.06.2011. The Phase I of Rajiv Awas Yojana is for a period of two years from the date of approval of the scheme. The Scheme will provide financial assistance 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.

Kumari Selja said, under the Scheme, fifty percent (50 %) of the cost of provision of basic civic and social infrastructure and amenities and of housing, including rental housing, and transit housing for in-situ redevelopment – in slums would be borne by the Centre, including operation & maintenance of assets created under this scheme. For the North Eastern and Special Category States, the share of the Centre would be 90% including the cost of land acquisition, if required.

8 pilot projects with total project cost of Rs. 446.22 crores involving central assistance of Rs. 197.09 crores have been approved under RAY for construction of total 8400 dwelling units. The first instalment of Rs. 65.69 crores has been released to the concerned states, the Minister added. 

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