Govt plans a slum free India in the next 5-year term

Over 15 lakh houses are under construction for the urban poor and there is a need to focus on urban housing programmes for the slum dwellers, reports the Indian Express.

The UPA government unveiled its plan for introducing Rajiv Awas Yojana for slum dwellers under JNNURM on the lines of Indira Awas Yojana for rural poor.

"The scheme for affordable housing through partnership and the scheme for interest subsidy for urban housing would be dovetailed into the Rajiv Awas Yojana which would extend support under JNNURM to states that are willing to assign property rights to people living in slum areas," President Pratibha Patil said while addressing Parliament.

"My government's effort would be to create a slum free India in five years through Rajiv Awas Yojana," she said.

Maintaining that infrastructure development under the flagship programme of JNNURM would continue, she said the government would continue to focus on infrastructure, basic services and governance reform and increase support to cities to upgrade public transport.

Over 15 lakh houses are under construction for the urban poor and there is a need to focus on urban housing programmes for the slum dwellers, she said.

"The JNNURM with approval of projects of nearly 50,000 crore in the last four years is reshaping our cities and has been widely welcomed," Patil said.

The government would take steps within the next 100 days to facilitate a voluntary technical corps of professionals in all urban areas through JNNURM to support the development activities.

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