Solution for a better tomorrow

In my last blog about slums, I wrote that to acknowledge that there is a problem is the beginning of its solution. Though this problem is wide spread and really affects a huge population of our country but we begin with it right here.

There are two ways to solve the problem of slums:

1. Provide better facilities to the people who have come to the cities. Which will need an investment by the Government but the result would be worth any amount spent.

2. To catch hold of the problem at its root cause, i.e., to make the atmosphere in villages as such that million of people from villages don't have to leave their homes.

Right now, I would be laying emphasis on improving Housing and Health Facilities for Urban Poor .

Currently, 40%-45% of India's urban poor live in slums or squatter settlements. The rest live under bridges and flyovers, pavements, or in overcrowded tenements.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India estimates that a meagre investment of Rs 7 billion is required to provide basic living and health facilities to poor urban-dwellers.

Over 40 million low-cost dwellings and 500 additional urban health and family welfare centres need to be built to provide basic housing and health facilities to India's approximately 190 million urban poor.

Delhi Government has already took an initiative to provide low-cost housing to nearly 4 lakh slum-dwellers in and around the national capital. This is a welcome step for the people of Delhi who are very much in need of a shelter.

The states such as Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, in particular, should come up with such schemes as they are the host to migrant workers from all over the country who gradually settle in places that offer them steady employment.

According to study by ASSOCHAM the population of urban-dwellers will exceed 225 million urban poor by 2015, from the current figure of 190 million. States in which the urban poor population will grow manifold include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as these states have been recording a 30% growth in urban poor populations in recent years.

A very important role can be played by real estate owners and pharma giants. The former can provide accomodation at affordable rates and the later can provide medicines and other essentials at concession if not directly to them atleast to the health centres.

There should be a law that makes it compulsary for all schools to teach a particular number of these poor children without any fees as the y already are earning huge amounts.

source : infochangeindia.org