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POLICY REVIEW
Natural disasters also often
lead to homelessness. For
instance; about 600,000 people
were made homeless by the
Gujarat earthquake in 2001
(Times Higher Education, 2003),
while 275,000 houses were
destroyed in the 1999 Orissa
cyclone (Rediff on the Net,
1999). Every year thousands of
people become homeless due to
floods in Bihar and Assam. In
addition to geological events,
many other manmade disasters
and upheavals also contribute
to loss of shelters. For example,
around 100,000 people have
been displaced by the building
of the Tehri dam in Uttaranchal,
northern India (Chauhan, 2005; OF HOMELESS
Thai Indian News, 2009). History POPULATION: With
suggests that homelessness
increases during periods of
social disorganization, such as
wars, economic depressions,
and periods of technological
change (Malloy et al., 1990).
Social conflict may also cause
widespread displacement
and long-term homelessness
(Seshadri, 2008).
Some tribal groups follow a
nomadic lifestyle for economic
and social reasons (Hartsuiker,
1993; Hausner, 2008). The extreme
situation of homelessness may
be more accurately portrayed
as the result of the convergence
of many factors that drive this
phenomenon, including housing
market dynamics, housing
and welfare policy, economic
restructuring and the labour
market, and personal disabilities
Table 1 : Share of Homeless Households & Population in India, 2001-2011
Homeless Household Homeless Population Decadal Growth
2001 2011 2001 2011 Household Population
Total 4,47,552 4,49,761 19,43,476 17,72,889 0.49 -8.78
Rural 2,59,742 1,92,865 11,64,877 83,4,541 -25.75 -28.36
Urban 1,87,810 2,56,896 7,78,599 9,38,348 36.79 20.52
Source: Census of India, 2001 and 2011
(Shlay & Rossi, 1992). The failure from 19.43 lakh to 17.72 lakh.
of some important institutions There is drastic decline in the
like family, community, lack homelessness in the rural areas at
of social support and networks 28.36%. However, homelessness
are the major social problems of is more poignant among the
homeless family and individuals urban areas of India. It showed
(Nishikant et al., 2018). a 20.52% of decadal growth and
increased from 7.78 lakh to 9.38
TEMPORAL lakh. However, the estimated
AND SPATIAL numbers are mostly inconsistent.
DISTRIBUTION For example, in the capital city
of Delhi, the same 2011 Census
reported 46,724 homeless
Special Reference to Bihar persons, which was 88,410
Table 1 shows share of homeless as per the Indo-Global Social
households and population in Service Society and increased
India during 2001-2011. Between to 1,50,000 when counted by the
the two Censuses of India, 2001 Delhi Development Authority
and 2011, the absolute numbers (DDA) during the same period
of houseless households has (Zufferey & Yu, 2017).
only slightly increased. Whereas, Table 2 examines distribution
rural areas showed a negative of homeless households and
decadal growth of about 25%, population in Bihar between
falling from 2.59 lakh to 1.92 2001 and 2011., In Bihar, there
lakh households. is high level of out migration
The country’s total homeless but the state attracts very less
population has declined number of migrant workers.
Table 2: Share of Homeless Households & Population in Bihar, 2001-2011
Homeless Household Homeless Population Decadal Growth
2001 2011 2001 2011 Household Population
Total 6940 9818 42498 45584 41.47 7.26
Rural 4235 6775 29768 32993 59.98 10.83
Urban 2705 3043 12730 12591 12.50 -1.09
Source: Census of India, 2001 and 2011
October 2020 Volume 21 No. 2-SHELTER 37