Question : SLUMS IN URBAN AREAS

(a) whether the existing urban land policy and urban planning models have been unable to check the rising number of slums in the urban areas of the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Union Government thereto;

(c) whether the Union Government proposes to formulate a National Policy to deal with the rising number of slum clusters in the urban areas including in large metropolitan cities of the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefore; and

(e) the States which have started the process of mapping and slums survey and the time by which such exercise is likely to be completed along with the nature of assistance provided by the Union Government in this regard?

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

(a) to (e) : A statement is laid on the Table of the Sabha.

STATEMENT

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 261 FOR 15.03.2011 REGARDING `SLUMS IN URBAN AREAS`

(a) to(d): The existing urban plan models and urban land policies are one of the various reasons which lead to creation of slums. The other reasons being increased urbanisation leading to pressure on the available land and infrastructure, especially for the poor and increase in population of urban poor due to natural reasons and also due to migration. Land, colonisation and slums are state subjects and it is primarily the duty of the state governments to address the issues relating to the slums.The Central Government has responded to the challenge by launching Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in 2005 and allocating more than one-third of the total budget under the Mission for augmenting infrastructure facilities in cities and towns along with provision of shelter and basic civic services to slum dwellers/urban poor through the Sub-Mission of Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme (IHSDP). To address the issue of land for the urban poor, a reform for earmarking 20-25% of developed land in all housing projects has been prescribed under JNNURM. This has been reiterated in the National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy,2007.

Hon’ble President of India announced Rajiv Awas Yojana for the slum dwellers and urban poor which aims to provide support to the States willing to assign property rights to slum dwellers. In preparation for RAY a slum free city planning scheme has been launched in March, 2010. Under the Slum Free City Planning Scheme started in March 2010, States have been requested to review and revise the urban land planning and development approaches to make it inclusive.

(e): Slum free city planning scheme supports the State Governments to develop GIS based slum free city plans with comprehensive household wise slum data for redevelopment of existing slums in the whole city whole slum strategy. Under the Slum Free City Planning Scheme, Rs.60 crores has been released to 20 States in March 2010 and Rs.30.29 crores to 14 States/ UTs in March 2011 as 1st installment towards establishment of State and City level Technical Cells, Slum Survey and MIS, GIS mapping, Integration of GIS & MIS and preparation of Slum Free city plans. As per the information received from the states till date, 15 States have started the process of mapping and slum survey. The list of the 15 States is annexed.As the Slum Free City Planning process is a time taking exercise, dependent on the state’s ability to mobilize the necessary technical and personnel resources, it is not possible to estimate the exact time which will be taken to complete the entire exercise.