Lok Sabha Question No. 837 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-21
Subject: National Policy on Urban Poor
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: Faizal P.P. Mohammed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 837

## TO BE ANSWERED ON NOVEMBER 21, 2019

## NATIONAL POLICY ON URBAN POOR

## NO. 837. SHRI MOHAMMED FAIZAL P.P.:

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

- (a)
- the present status of the National Policy on Urban Poor; and
- (b) whether the Government proposes to conduct an all India survey to identify  the  number  of  urban  poor  so  as  to  make  schemes  to  rid various cities/towns of the country from slums and bring the urban poor under the Food Security Act and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

## (SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a)&(b): The  Ministry of Housing  and  Urban  Affairs (MoHUA)  is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely 'Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission, since September,  2013  in  statutory towns of country to reduce poverty and vulnerability of urban poor  households  by  enabling  them  to  access  gainful  selfemployment and skilled wage employment opportunities. The Mission also aims to build strong grassroot level institutions of  the  urban  poor,  provide  shelters  equipped  with  essential services  to  the  urban  homeless  and  address  livelihoods concerns of the urban street vendors.

In pursuance of the Government's vision of 'Housing for All' by 2022, MoHUA  is also implementing Pradhan Mantri AwasYojana (Urban) since 25.06.2015 for providing assistance to States/UTs for addressing the housing requirement of the people belonging to Economically Weaker Section,  Lower  Income  Group  andMiddle  Income  Group  in urban  areas.  Central  assistance  is  provided  to  States/UTs through  four  verticals  of  the  Scheme  namely  'In-situ'  Slum Redevelopment;  Credit  Linked  Subsidy  Scheme;  Affordable Housing  in  Partnership  and  Beneficiary-led  individual  house construction/ enhancements.

A  respondent-based  survey  to  collect  information  regarding various individual and household characteristics was carried out  by  respective  State  Government/  UT  Administration  as Socio-Economic  Caste  Census-2011  in  both  rural  and  urban areas. The population of urban poor and beneficiaries of Food Security Act, however, are not based on this survey.

The National Food Security Act, 2013 provides for coverage of upto 50% of urban population for receiving highly subsidized food grains. The  coverage  under  the  Act  is substantially  high  to  ensure  that  all  vulnerable  and  needy sections of the society are covered. It also contains provisions  for  nutritional  support  to  pregnant  women  and lactating mothers and children up to 14 years of age.

Coverage under the Act is under two categories -(i) households covered under Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme to the extent specified by the Central Governmentand  (ii) theremaining households as PriorityHouseholdsto be identified by the State Governments/ Union Territories (UTs) as per criteria evolved by them, withinthe coverage determined for the State/UT.

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