Slum-free India:Operationalising Rajiv Awas Yojana

Deepti Gaur MukerjeeMinistry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India, New Delhipkmohanty_ed@yahoo.com

My Government proposes to introduce a Rajiv Awas Yojana for the slum dwellers and the urban poor on the lines of the Indira Awas Yojana for the rural poor. The schemes 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. My Government's effort would be to create a slum free India in five years through the Rajiv Awas Yojana. Rajiv Awas Yojana Slum-free India (Announcement by President of India on 4th June, 2009)

Broad overview of steps necessary for RAY

Operationalising Rajiv Awas Yojana Preparatory TasksLegislative Framework for Property RightsLegislation for Property Right (Right to Dwelling Space) to Slum-dwellers

Amendments to Existing Laws: Town Planning, Urban Development, Municipal Corporation, Slum, Housing, Revenue etc. - Fixing Norms for Planning of Informal Settlements and Provision of Infrastructure & Housing; Preventing Slums in future

Identification & Demarcation of SlumsIdentification & demarcation of all Slums: Notified, Non-notified, Tenable, Non-tenable, etc., adopting Whole City approach, dividing the City into Zones/Grids (based on land value/other parameters) for operational purposes

Procurement of Satellite Imagery & Base Map PreparationProcurement of Cartosat II 1 Metre Resolution Images from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)/National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) for City/Urban Agglomeration, Zones/Grids and Slum Locations; Geo-referencing & Preparation of Base Maps (1:5000 scale) indicating Slums and their Internal and External Infrastructure Connectivities

Operationalising Rajiv Awas Yojana Preparatory Tasks contd.Slum Survey & Development of Slum MISEstablish Slum-free City Cells Formation of Slum Survey Teams & Supervisory Teams, Conduct Training Programmes involving Municipal Administration/Statistics Departments, Census/NSSO/CSO Trainers

Conduct Slum SurveyDetailed Model Formats on Slum, Household & Livelihoods Surveys and Guidelines for Training circulated to all States by National Buildings Organisation (NBO); Community to be closely involved in Survey and Slum-free City Planning processes (States like Andhra Pradesh have adopted Community Self-Survey Model)

Development of web-enabled MIS, Entry of data from Slum Surveys, compilation, collation and preparation of Slum Profiles, City/Zone and State Database

Socio-economic Analysis of Data generated through Slum MIS Preparation of Analytical State of Slum Reports City and State.

Operationalising Rajiv Awas Yojana Preparatory Tasks contd.GIS Mapping of SlumsTraining in GIS Mapping Tools using latest technology with the involvement of ISRO/NRSC/Partners of NRSC/Other Agencies

Development of Slum/Zone/City/Agglomeration Maps using GIS Tools : (i) Cartosat II imagery secured from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)/National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC)/ Other Sources(ii) Ground truthing and geo-spatial data measurement, collection and collation of data and superimposing the same on the Satellite ImagesGIS-enabled Slum Information SystemIntegration of Slum MIS with GIS Maps to enable the preparation of a dynamic GIS-enabled Slum Information System - Slum-wise, Zone-wise and for City; Getting an Integrated Picture based on Spatial and Socio-economic analysis of Data

Operationalising Rajiv Awas Yojana Preparatory Tasks contd.Choice of Land Tenure/Development ModelPutting in place Community Organisation and community engagement mechanisms may be led by a Lead NGO for City/Zone

Establishing Tenurial/Property Rights and Grievances Redressal Mechanism; Undertaking Biometric Surveys of Eligible Dwellers

Stakeholders and community consultation - Participatory decision-making regarding the choice of model of land tenure / property right and development for each slum: In situ PPP covering infrastructure and housing with or without FSI/zoning incentives; In situ land sharing and infrastructure provision only, with beneficiary-driven/incremental housing; In situ community-based development through Rajiv Awas Housing Societies; Relocation; Rental/Ownership/Rental-cum-Ownership Housing, etc.

Preference for Models with Land as a Resource, involving Public-Private Partnerships Commercialising part of Land and developing Multi-storeyed housing in the other part (Suitable land use/zoning relaxations needed).

Operationalising Rajiv Awas Yojana Preparatory Tasks contd.Preparation of Slum Development PlanSlum Reconfiguration / De jure Formalization following Special Town Planning Norms applicable for Informal Sector Settlements as per Town Planning Laws/Regulations and Development Model chosen

Plan for Internal Infrastructure: water supply, sewerage, storm drainage, solid waste management, roads, power transmission lines & sub-stations, parks & playgrounds, education & health infrastructure, livelihoods centres / workplaces, informal sector markets etc.

Plan for External Connectivities Establishing links to City-wide Infrastructure Networks

Plan for Housing based on chosen Development Model using a Zonal/City-wide approach bunching of high-density and low-density slums and accommodating dwellers from non-tenable locations

Operationalising Rajiv Awas Yojana Preparatory Tasks contd.Preparation of Slum-free City/State PlanAmalgamation of Slum Development Plans Zone/Grid/CityIntegrating Slum-free City Plan with City-wide Infrastructure Development Plan [City Development Plan (CDP)]Slum-free City Financing Plan, including Credit Mobilisation for the Poor, Internal Earmarking in Municipal Budget for the Urban Poor/Creation of BSUP/Shelter Fund, etc.Slum-free City Plan Implementation Framework, including establishment of Institutional structure, e.g. State/City Slum Rehabilitation Authority as in MaharashtraCity-wide Policies for Slum Prevention including Reservation of Land/Housing for the Poor in Private & Public Housing Colonies and Creation of Affordable Housing stock, Plan for Implementation of Pro-poor Reforms stipulated under JNNURM and according Property Right to Slum DwellersSlum-free State Plan Sum of Slum-free City Plans plus Policy Framework and Plan of Action for Prevention of Slums in the Future

Status updateFirst installment of funds released to 20 states for preparatory activities

States in the process of setting up state and city level nodal officers and technical cells.

Slum Surveys : commenced in many states

Slum MIS: The MIS software has been developed by CGG and it is under the pilot testing phase. Some ULBs have started entering the data into the software for the purpose.

Status Update -Guidelines for Preparation of Slum Free City plans:Sub-committee for slum free city planning held its meeting on 10th August, 2010 draft guidelines to get inputs from present workshop organized by CEPT.Community mobilization guidelines for involvement of communities in the plan preparation and survey process are being formulated in consultation with NGOs & other stakeholders.

Status Update- Model legal framework for Provision of Property Rights to the Poor: The model law/framework on provision of property rights to the urban poor / slum dwellers is in the final stages of formulation.

Thank you

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