Chairing the meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Parliament attached to the Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation here today, Shri Ananth Kumar stated that formulation of National Slum Policy would find a place in the agenda for the forthcoming meeting.

    "A draft National Slum Policy has been formulated, for the first time since Independence, with the objective of integrating slum settlements and the communities residing within them into the urban areas as a whole. The Policy also aims at strengthening the legal and policy framework to facilitate the process of slum development and improvement on a sustainable basis. It seeks to establish a framework for involving all stakeholders for the efficient and smooth implementation of Policy objectives", the Minister pointed out.

    Shri Ananth Kumar further stated that as part of Government’s initiative to provide ‘housing for all’, a new housing scheme Valmiki – Ambedkar Awas Yojana (VAMBAY) was launched by the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with the objective of providing shelter or upgrading the existing shelter for people living below the poverty line in urban slums. The Scheme will be funded by the budget grants to the extent of 50 per cent leaving the balance to be matched by the State Governments with funds from other sources or through loans from HUDCO. In the current year, an allocation of Rs.100 crore has been made under the Scheme.

    The cost of construction of dwelling unit under the scheme will be in the range of Rs.40,000/- to Rs.60,000/- including the provision for sanitary latrine for an area of not less than 15 sq. metres.

    As a component of the VAMBAY, a new National City Sanitation Project known as "Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan" will be introduced in the slums all over the country to provide toilet facilities to slum dwellers. Community based group toilet schemes in slum areas will be financed under this scheme to be maintained by community based organizations (CBO).

    Minister of State for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, Shri Bandaru Dattatraya said that draft National Slum Policy aims at improving the conditions of slums. Only those slum clusters will be relocated where habitation is contrary to public policy. He said that Delhi Development Authority has been directed to provide housing for economically weaker sections of society when planning a new colony, as slum dwellers provide useful service to the residents of those colonies.

    Taking note of the deteriorating civic conditions in urban centres in the country, Members of Parliament stressed the need for ameliorating the poor condition of the urban infrastructures in cities and towns. Shri Nepal Das, MP, suggested that rural areas and satellite towns near big cities should be developed and industries should be encouraged to relocate to smaller towns so that migration of rural population towards urban centers could be discouraged. Dr. (Smt.) Anita Arya, MP, pointed out that many slum dwellers, who were relocated to peripheral areas of Delhi, have not been provided with civic and social infrastructure.

    Smt. Shyama Singh, MP, underlined the need for regulating the growth of unauthorized slum clusters in Delhi. She also called for launching an awareness campaign for promoting sanitation habits among slum dwellers. Shri Akbar Ali Khandoker, MP, said that ongoing central schemes for the welfare of urban poor should be widely publicized so that a vast section of population could benefit from those schemes. Shri Banarasi Das Gupta, MP, observed that due care should be taken to see that grants for central schemes are properly utilized by the states. He also emphasized the need for improving the financial condition of urban local bodies.