Gov launches new scheme for slum-free India

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation is implementing the Basic Services to the Urban Poor and Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission which focuses on basic services to the urban poor and integrated development of slums. Under the scheme the government has approved 1534 projects submitted by the states with a total project cost of Rs 40,767 crore for construction/up-gradation of 16.12 lakh dwelling units. The selection of the projects is done by the states and removal of slums near the railway tracks are not specifically targeted under the above scheme. [caption id=“attachment_53462” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“High rise residential buildings are seen behind a slum in Mumbai. Danish Siddiqui/Reuters”]  [/caption] In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today the Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja said that, in pursuance of the Government’s vision of creating a slum-free India, a new scheme ‘Rajiv Awas Yojana’ (RAY) has been launched on 2 June 2011. Phase I of Rajiv Awas Yojana is for a period of two years from the date of approval of the scheme with a budget of Rs 5,000 crore and expenditure limited to actual plan outlays. 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. The scheme emphasizes ‘whole city’ ‘all slums’ ‘whole slum’ approach. In respect of Central Government land it is expected that the agencies concerned will work in cooperation with the State Governments/ULB, and design suitable solutions to redevelop/relocate the slums with due property rights given to slum dwellers. Kumari Selja said, her Ministry has taken up the matter with Ministry of Railways to arrive at a policy solution to redevelop/relocate the slums on land belonging to the Railways, under Rajiv Awas Yojana in cooperation of the concerned State Governments.