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POLICY REVIEW
which it is estimated to add new entrants to the cities, and land relations in smaller
165 million people to its start off by residing in poorly and medium towns are
urban base. Higher economic serviced informal settlements distinctly different than that
growth and a multitude of having ambiguous or no in the larger cities, it calls
economic opportunities in security of tenure. In addition for different approaches to
cities is catalysing annual to other vulnerabilities, they address the housing demand-
work-related migration of face continuous eviction and supply gaps, especially
about 5-9 million people demolition threats, which among the urban poor. Given
(Ministry of Finance, puts them in an unending larger cities dominate the
2017-18), indicating much vicious cycle of poverty research paradigm, often
higher labour mobility than (Kotal, 2021). Such scenarios the public policies are more
previously estimated. India’s are more common in case of responsive to these.
urban expansion over the larger metropolises. In 7800
past two decades has already non-million smaller and The government of India
placed an enormous strain on medium towns, accounted launched Pradhan Mantri
land, housing supply, basic for 66 percent of urban Awas Yojana (PMAY) for the
services and infrastructure population (Census 2011), Urban (U) areas in 2015 to
(Das & Mukherjee, 2018). The however, this scenario may address the housing deficit
situation is further aggravated not be true. In these smaller among the urban poor. The
by a low land-to-population cities and towns, the poor scheme has two verticals each
ratio which has declined often own a plot of land but not to support the demand and
fourfold in comparison to necessarily possess the ‘Right’ supply sides of housing:
1960 making it the most land- evidence to make their lawful 1) In-situ slum
scarce countries in the world claim on their land. They redevelopment using
(Kapur, Somanathan, & may have inherited the land land as a resource;
Subramanian, 2014). parcel and continued doing
land sub-divisions informally 2) Credit linked subsidy
The Indian economy is also or are occupying public land scheme (CLSS);
undergoing a continuous for generations. The lawful
structural transformation claim on any piece of land 3) Affordable housing in
characterized by increased is facilitated by the Revenue partnership; and
mobility and migration. As Administration through 4) Beneficiary-led individ-
per Government of India promulgation of Records of ual house construction/
statistics, the unorganised Rights (RoR) in the name of enhancement (BLC).
sector contributes almost the occupier. The urban poor,
50 percent of the total GDP however, tends to evade this PMAY is a departure from its
(Maitra, 2020). Nearly 80 complex processes, making pre-dated housing policies–
percent of the people are the available land database the scheme encouraged
employed informally i.e., redundant, and subjects both the private developers
they are not covered under land related transactions to as well as encouraged
any institutional labour laws litigations. individual households to
(Niti Ayog, 2018). A large self-construct their houses
section of the informally Acknowledging the fact that subject to fulfilling certain
employed workers, often the India’s urbanisation pattern prerequisites. Seven years
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