Election
Spotlight
29 April 2014, New Delhi
‘Family’ Land Scam
WHAT ABOUT SLUMS, URBANISATION?
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
The BJP’s promise that it will put
the ‘land deals’ of Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra under the scanner is
hardly going to cut much ice with the nation’s slum dwellers. How will the
probe, into yet another alleged scam of the Congress, solve their problem? In
all probability, notwithstanding the tall promises being made, change in
priorities for development may just elude this section of vote bank after elections.
A re-look at the manifestoes of both
the Congress and BJP, on this score distressingly reveals that that there has
been no mention of slum upgradation or renovation. The 2001 census found 27.5
per cent of the country’s urban population in slums but in 2011, the figure had
fallen by 17.4 per cent – 1.37 crores out of a total population of 7.89 crores.
The highest proportion of slum
dwellers was in Andhra Pradesh of 35.7 per cent followed by Madhya Pradesh
(28.3), Maharashtra (28.3) and Bengal (21.9).
It may be worth mentioning that even the Census authorities define a slum as a
residential area where the dwelling are “unfit for human habitation” for
reasons of “dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangement and design of
buildings, narrowness or faulty arrangement of streets and lack of ventilation,
light, sanitation facilities”.
Unfortunately, though the urban
explosion in most Third World countries, including India, has become a major problem
the issue is yet to sink in. A Mckinsey Global report placed India at the
forefront of urban uncertainty. With rapid urbanization, the country’s towns
are expected to populate to dangerously high levels. In barely another 10
years, 35 cities will grow into megacities – each with a population of 10
million. The current 30 per cent of slum dwellers will double, present traffic
movement will dwindle by 35-40 per cent and an average family space will shrink
from 2000 sq. ft. ordinary room size to a mere 80 sq. ft.
In this background, while the BJP
manifesto has given a clear thrust to urbanization keeping in view the fact
that the country’s greatest challenge is its unpreparedness to cope with rapid
urbanization, it is not enough. As is well known, by 2020, around 40 per cent
of the population will be urban, contributing 70 to 75 per cent of the GDP.
Thus, the intention of setting up 100 new cities, as mentioned in the
manifesto, should augur well for the economy.
Along with the setting up of new
cities, infrastructure of the existing ones has to be substantially improved.
Adequate sewerage facilities and potable drinking water needs to be made
available to the rising population of cities and towns. Even suburban areas
close to metros lack sewerage facilities while in some the water is
contaminated. Water contamination is a big problem, specially in eastern and
central States and needs to be tackled through collaboration with research
institutes and Central government funding.
Most municipalities do not have the
wherewithal of providing basic necessities to the inhabitants and, apart from
collection of taxes, ways and means have to be ensured to mobilize resources
for the above purpose, apart from asking for Central assistance. Tax rates
have, in most cases, not been revised and this should be a priority of
municipalities where no intervention should be entertained.
In this connection, housing for the
low income groups and the economically weaker sections has been a big problem.
While the government is giving land – sometimes at subsidized rates -- to
promoters and builders, not much low-cost housing is available for these
sections. There has to be clear cut decisions and both the Centre and Sates
should evolve a uniform policy in this regard (housing for low income groups).
Also rates of housing finance for HIG, MIG, LIG and EWS have to be separate and
fixed by the Finance Ministry and both the nationalized and private banks have
to adhere to this.
While the UPA has already carried
out work in this regard through the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Development Mission
(JNNURM), which witnessed considerable rejuvenation in urban areas, fund
requirement is much more to combat the dimension of the problem as the
population density has been increasing rapidly.
However, housing for the EWS and the
poor has to be taken up in right earnest. Though the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAW)
focused on the poorer sections of society, requirement was much more than the
paltry flats that were made available. Experts say the projects could achieve
economies of scale by having 2000 to 3000 houses at one time in a single
location, using alternative and local materials like machine-made bricks,
particle boards and PVC material, environment-friendly building material from
industrial and agricultural wastes (like fly ash, stone dust etc.) and adopting
economical construction systems.
Land is obviously the most critical
problem for resettlement of residents of slums and squatters. Resettlement far
off from the city has not been quite effective because these residents have to
commute to the city daily for their livelihood. This factor has to be taken
into consideration in preparing schemes of rehabilitation as shelter and
employment are intrinsically connected. Experts have suggested that at least 25
per cent of new development area should be earmarked for affordable low-cost
housing.
Though the Government decided to
upgrade slums by giving a part of the land for slum re-housing and allotting
the other part to the developer for commercial use, not much headway has been
made. The new government has to formulate a judicious action plan with
necessary budgetary allocation to upgrade slums and squatter settlements,
specially in metros and big cities, make these liveable with basic amenities
like water, sanitary toilets, sewerage etc.
While the tasks ahead are quite
daunting, political will and also mobilization of resources are necessary to
rejuvenate the cities. Merely providing better facilities to the rich and the
upper middle class does not solve the problem; focus on how lower income groups
and the EWS live is required.
It is thus necessary that plans and
projects have to be planned with a definite pro-poor approach and on a
realistic basis. However, the following actions must be made a note of by the
next government. Be it in a phased manner, it should through a comprehensive strategy in
consultation with the National Institute of Urban Affairs and the proposed
Indian Institute of Urban Management plan: Regularization of unauthorized colonies;
wherever it is not possible a phased and well-thought out relocation plan
should be worked out; Slum upgradation/ renovation and progressive housing
development should be simultaneous with bestowing occupancy rights.
There must also be stoppage on
forced evictions; however where absolutely necessary ‘proper’ rehabilitation
should be arranged with the basic facilities like water and sanitation,
educational facilities and communication network; Reinstating housing or
shelter rights to the displaced, including all those evicted in recent years,
in a ‘proper’ way with the JNNURM’s funds or any other scheme; Based on the
principle that water is life and sanitation is dignity, coverage of water
supply and sanitation services to be made available by governments or
responsible agencies to slum dwellers irrespective of their tenure status.
The above recommendations may well
already be in some files in the Urban Development Ministry. How soon the new
incumbent ensures the dust being brushed off these, is the big question.
---INFA
(Copyright,
India News & Feature Alliance)
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