India’s invisible slum crisis is a growing issue that often goes unnoticed despite affecting millions of people. Slums, which are overcrowded and informal settlements, are home to a significant portion of the urban population, particularly in major cities. These areas lack basic services like clean water, sanitation, and proper housing, making life extremely difficult for residents. The crisis is often “invisible” because many slums are not officially recognized by the government, which limits access to essential services and support. Addressing this problem is crucial for improving the living conditions of millions and ensuring sustainable urban development in India.
Tags: GS Paper – 3, Economy- InfrastructureUrbanizationPoverty and Developmental Issues
Context:
- The lack of census data has compounded the problem, raising questions on the government’s “commitment” to ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’.
What is a Slum?
- The UN defines ‘slum’ as one or a set of people living in the same house in an urban area who lack one or more facilities, i.e., secure tenure, durable housing, sufficient living space, and access to improved water and sanitation facilities.
- India’s slum-dwelling population increased from 27.9 million in 1981 to 65.5 million in 2011, accounting for about 17.37% of the total urban population in 2011 (Census 2011).
Characteristics of slum
- High population density
- Lack of access to basic services like clean water and sanitation
- Poor living conditions and lack of security of tenure
- Limited or no access to education and healthcare facilities
- Poverty, high unemployment and informal economy
- High incidence of deviant behaviour, i.e. crime, juvenile delinquency, drug usage, suicide, ill legitimacy and family maladjustments.
Factors for the growth of slums in India:
- Rural-Urban Migration: Large-scale migration due to lack of employment and agricultural stagnation in rural areas. In 2020, 34% of India’s population was urban, a significant increase driven by rural migrants.
- Housing Shortage: India faces a shortage of 29 million urban housing units (2018 data), forcing many to live in informal settlements.
- Unemployment and Informal Economy: Around 81% of urban workers are in informal jobs, leading to low incomes and inability to afford formal housing.
- Urbanisation: India’s urban population grew by 31.8% between 2001 and 2011, outpacing the development of affordable housing and infrastructure.
- Poor Urban Planning: Lack of adequate urban planning has resulted in unplanned settlements. As per the Census 2011, 13.7 million households were living in slums.
- Inadequate Infrastructure: Insufficient public utilities like water, sanitation, and electricity in growing cities push low-income groups into slums.
- Land Tenure Issues: Unclear property rights and high real estate prices force low-income groups to settle in unauthorised areas.
- Policy Gaps: Slum redevelopment programs, such as the PMAY, have not met demand, with over 12 million urban homes still needed (2023).
- Population Growth: India’s urban population is projected to increase by 416 million between 2018 and 2050, further straining resources and increasing slum growth.
Adverse impacts of slums:
- Health Hazards: Lack of clean water/sanitation leads to high rates of waterborne diseases; 700,000 deaths annually from diarrheal diseases (WHO).
- Poverty and Unemployment: 22% of India’s population lives below the poverty line; slum areas face higher unemployment and reliance on informal jobs (NITI Aayog, 2018).
- Social Inequality: 43% of urban households in slums experience discrimination based on living conditions (National Sample Survey, 2018).
- Environmental Degradation: Urban slums generate 60 million tons of solid waste annually; poor drainage exacerbates flooding and pollution (World Bank).
- Crime and Violence: Higher crime rates in slums; urban areas see increased violent crimes linked to gang violence and drug abuse (UNODC).
- Inadequate Infrastructure: 40% of urban Indians live in slums with limited access to essential services like sanitation and electricity (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs).
- Impact on Urban Planning: 11% of urban India lives in slums, complicating effective urban planning efforts (Ministry of Urban Development).
- Mental Health Issues: Mental health problems are 30% more prevalent among slum residents due to stressful living conditions.
- Impact on Education: Only 30% of children in urban slums attend school; high dropout rates due to child labour (UNICEF).
Challenges in slum rehabilitation:
- Limited access to financial resources: Urban poor lack formal financial resources to help them purchase new homes or maintain a new life in a new housing unit. Therefore, most of the newly constructed housing units are not affordable.
- Lack of land for housing: Excess control over land creates an artificial urban land shortage, leading to urban sprawl and corruption in land licensing. Further, non-marketable state-owned entities in the heart of cities limit the amount of available land for housing.
- Regulatory constraints: Development projects in urban areas are subject to a long approval process from both state and central levels, which postpones tasks.
- Vote bank politics: Politicians prioritise short-term electoral gains by making promises of welfare schemes to slum dwellers, often neglecting long-term urban planning and infrastructure development.
- Political deprivation: Slum dwellers often lack political representation and are excluded from decision-making, limiting their ability to advocate for their rights and improve living conditions.
Government incentives:
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY): Aims to provide affordable housing to the urban poor; as of 2023, over 1.1 crore houses have been sanctioned under the scheme.
- Subsidy for Solar Power: The government offers a 30% subsidy on the installation of solar panels for residential use, encouraging renewable energy adoption.
- Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA): Guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household; over 1.2 crore households benefited in FY 2022-23.
- Start-up India Initiative: Offers tax exemptions for 3 years to eligible start-ups; over 75,000 start-ups registered since its launch in 2016.
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): Provides crop insurance to farmers; as of 2023, over 6 crore farmers enrolled, covering crops worth ₹1.6 lakh crore.
- Goods and Services Tax (GST) Incentives: Small businesses with an annual turnover below ₹1.5 crore benefit from a 1% composition scheme for simplified tax payments.
- Atmanirbhar Bharat Package: A stimulus of ₹20 lakh crore to boost the economy during COVID-19; included incentives for various sectors, with a focus on MSMEs.
- National Skill Development Mission: Targets skill development for youth; by 2023, over 1.5 crore individuals trained through various skill development initiatives.
- Digital India Initiative: Incentives for the digital transformation of government services; over 1.4 lakh Common Service Centers (CSCs) operational, providing digital services
Source: DTE
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