Nearly 89% of slumdwellers outside ambit of PMAY-U

26 Aug 2022 CW Team

In the words of Leilani Farha, former UN special rapporteur on the right to housing, “Housing has become the frontline defence against the coronavirus.”

An estimated 1.6 billion people globally already live without adequate shelter. In India, more than 78 million people live in poor housing conditions. The erstwhile Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA) in India had constituted a Technical Group on Urban Housing Shortage 2012-17 (TG-12), which had estimated the urban housing shortage in India at 18.78 million units for the period 2007-12. Nearly 89% of slum dwellers remain outside the ambit of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna – Urban (PMAY-U) as people living in informal settlements do not possess clear land titles and this is a one of the pre-requisites under the beneficiary led construction vertical of PMAY-U.

The root cause of inadequate housing is systemic inequity. Stressors and shocks such as climate change, pandemics, humanitarian crises, migration and urbanization exacerbate the problem. Unfortunately, housing does not feature as an exclusive category. As a result, despite being regarded as a fundamental human need, housing has always found itself down in the pecking order compared to other social issues when it comes to CSR.

Making housing an exclusive category will make the CSR Act more holistic and accelerate the efforts of achieving housing for all. Because having a decent place to live is foundational for families to build a better future.

Covid-19 has laid bare the extent of the housing crisis. Millions of families were already struggling with unhealthy living conditions, lack of access to clean water, unaffordable rent. They are now joined by millions more who are living in poor housing conditions due to the health and economic crises posed by the pandemic. In the words of Leilani Farha, former UN special rapporteur on the right to housing, “Housing has become the frontline defence against the coronavirus.” An estimated 1.6 billion people globally already live without adequate shelter. In India, more than 78 million people live in poor housing conditions. The erstwhile Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA) in India had constituted a Technical Group on Urban Housing Shortage 2012-17 (TG-12), which had estimated the urban housing shortage in India at 18.78 million units for the period 2007-12. Nearly 89% of slum dwellers remain outside the ambit of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna – Urban (PMAY-U) as people living in informal settlements do not possess clear land titles and this is a one of the pre-requisites under the beneficiary led construction vertical of PMAY-U. The root cause of inadequate housing is systemic inequity. Stressors and shocks such as climate change, pandemics, humanitarian crises, migration and urbanization exacerbate the problem. Unfortunately, housing does not feature as an exclusive category. As a result, despite being regarded as a fundamental human need, housing has always found itself down in the pecking order compared to other social issues when it comes to CSR. Making housing an exclusive category will make the CSR Act more holistic and accelerate the efforts of achieving housing for all. Because having a decent place to live is foundational for families to build a better future. See also: Maharashtra likely to invite fresh bids for Dharavi redevelopmentKMC soon to merge fringe villages

Equipment

12 Dec 2025

Schwing Stetter India Unveils New Innovations at Excon 2025

Schwing Stetter India unveiled more than 20 new machines at Excon 2025, marking one of its most significant showcases and introducing several India-first technologies to the construction equipment sector. The company launched the country’s first 56-metre boom pump designed and manufactured in India, the first fully electric truck mixer, the first CNG mixer variant and the first hybrid boom pump. Executives said the launch portfolio was engineered to support India’s move toward faster, greener and more vertically oriented infrastructure through advanced engineering, clean-energy solutions a..

Infrastructure Energy

12 Dec 2025

SEPC Resolves Hindustan Copper Dispute, Wins Rs 725 Mn Order

Engineering, procurement and construction firm SEPC Ltd has recently settled a dispute with Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) and secured a mining infrastructure order valued at Rs 725 million from the state-owned company. SEPC informed the stock exchanges that it has executed a settlement deed with HCL, bringing closure to all inter-se claims and counterclaims arising from arbitration proceedings. As part of the settlement, SEPC will receive Rs 304.5 million as full and final payment, marking the resolution of all pending disputes between the two entities. The company also stated that Hindustan Co..

Infrastructure Energy

12 Dec 2025

20% Ethanol Blending Cuts India’s CO2 Emissions by 73.6 Mn Tonnes

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently said that India has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 73.6 million metric tonnes due to the adoption of 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol. He made the statement while replying to supplementary questions during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. Describing ethanol as a green fuel, the minister said it plays a key role in reducing pollution while also supporting higher incomes for farmers. He underlined that ethanol blending contributes both to environmental sustainability and rural economic growth. Nitin Gadkari also po..