Lok Sabha Question No. 403 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-05
Subject: Night Shelters for Homeless
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: VISHNU DAYAL RAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 403 TO BE ANSWERED ON FEBRUARY 05, 2019

## NIGHT SHELTERS FOR HOMELESS

No. 403 SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-

- (a) the  number  of  deaths  due  to  cold  and  exposure  reported  in  the country during the last five years;
- (b) whether the Government has taken steps to combat the same and also  construct  shelters  for  homeless  people  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (c) the  number  of  night  shelters  and  homeless  shelters  for  men  and women separately, at present, State and UT- wise;
- (d) the facilities provided in the said shelters; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  last  audit  conducted  relating  to  these  shelters along  with  the  findings  of  the  said  audit  and  the  steps  taken  to rectify the shortcomings noticed therein?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## [SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI]

- (a): A  total  of  849,  997,  946,  913  and  1,149  deaths  due  to  Cold  and Exposure  were  reported  annually  in  the  country  during  2011-2015 respectively. A total of 60, 40, 52, 23 and 38 deaths due to Avalanche were  reported  annually  in  the  country  during  2011-2015  respectively. Latest data is available only for the year 2015 in both the cases.
- (b) & (c): One of the reasons for deaths due to cold and exposures in the country could be because of lack of proper habitat. It is the primary responsibility of Governments of the States/ Union Territories to provide shelter for the urban homeless population. In order to complement and supplement  the  efforts  of  Governments  of  States/  UTs  in  this  regard, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs is administering a scheme 'Shelter

for  Urban  Homeless  (SUH)'  as  a  component  of  Deendayal  Antyodaya Yojana  -  National  Urban  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NULM),  through respective States/UTs to provide permanent shelter.  Under DAY-NULM, a total of 1126 shelters are operational, out of which, 170 shelters for men and 54 shelters are for women. The remaining shelters belong to the categories viz. family shelter, general shelter and special shelters. The States/UTs wise details of men and women shelters is at AnnexureI.

(d): As per SUH guidelines, the facilities to be provided in the shelter, inter-alia, include well ventilated  rooms,  water  arrangements  and sanitation, adequate bathing & toilet facilities, adequate fire protection measures, standard lighting for shelter etc.

(e): The operational guidelines provide that States/UTs would undertake independent quality evaluation for quality checks on projects being implemented. In addition, quality audit of operational shelters will be conducted at the shelter level on a quarterly basis. The audits are expected to be conducted by third party external reviewers. Apart from that,  social  audit  of  each  shelter  should  be  organized  at  least  once  a year.

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## Annexure-I to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 403 for Answer on 05.02.2019

| S.No   | State Name       |   No. of Men Shelters |   No. of Women Shelters |
|--------|------------------|-----------------------|-------------------------|
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh   |                    16 |                       5 |
| 2      | Bihar            |                     2 |                       0 |
| 3      | Chandigarh       |                     0 |                       0 |
| 4      | Chhattisgarh     |                     0 |                       0 |
| 5      | Goa              |                     0 |                       0 |
| 6      | Gujarat          |                     2 |                       1 |
| 7      | Haryana          |                     0 |                       0 |
| 8      | Himachal Pradesh |                     2 |                       1 |
| 9      | Jharkhand        |                     4 |                       2 |
| 10     | Karnataka        |                    11 |                       3 |
| 11     | Kerala           |                     1 |                       2 |
| 12     | Madhya Pradesh   |                     0 |                       4 |
| 13     | Maharashtra      |                     6 |                       2 |
| 14     | Mizoram          |                     1 |                       0 |
| 15     | NCT of Delhi     |                    95 |                      18 |
| 16     | Odisha           |                     1 |                       0 |
| 17     | Puducherry       |                     0 |                       1 |
| 18     | Punjab           |                     2 |                       0 |
| 19     | Rajasthan        |                     1 |                       0 |
| 20     | Tamil Nadu       |                    12 |                      11 |
| 21     | Telangana        |                    14 |                       4 |
| 22     | Uttar Pradesh    |                     0 |                       0 |
| 23     | Uttarakhand      |                     0 |                       0 |
| 24     | West Bengal      |                     0 |                       0 |
|        | Total :          |                   170 |                      54 |