Haryana to prepare a model for rehabilitation of slums

by Haryananewswire (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JULY 24

The Haryana Government has decided to get a model developed for rehabilitation of slums, prevent further growth of slums and provide basic facilities to the people in slums in the State for which a research would be conducted to develop a model.

          This was disclosed by Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Haryana, Dr K. K. Khandelwal and Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, Mr Ram Niwas while interacting with mediapersons here today. They  said that three towns of Faridabad, Panipat and Rohtak have been chosen for the research projects and the report of the research would be ready by September next.

          It was informed that having provided the facility of free drinking water, a water tank and a tap free of cost to households of members belonging to Scheduled Castes, the State Government was now considering how to extend similar benefit to  families  living below poverty line in the State.

          Dr Khandelwal, who was accompanied by Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, Mr Ram Niwas had been to Urban Service Conference held in Colombo in Sri Lanka recently, said that Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda is very keen to provide basic amenities like safe drinking water, toilets, sewerage and solid waste management to the people in the State. He said that the scheme of Haryana Government to provide free connection of safe drinking water, a water tank and a tap free of cost to the families belonging to Scheduled Castes was highly appreciated in the Urban Service Conference.

          The Conference was organized by Jameel Poverty Action Lab, USA in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to identify and evaluate innovative solutions to the problems of inadequate access to urban water, sanitation and hygiene services in cities in Asia and Africa, especially in neighbourhoods with concentration of poor people.                

          Dr Khandelwal said that in this conference researchers, economists, political scientists from Harvard University, Brown University, Yale University, Oxford University, MIT, Cornell University experts and public administration practitioners from Mexico, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Morocco and many others from Africa, Asia and Latin American countries participated. He said that the participating researchers included Sharon Barnhardt, Pascalne Dupas, Daniel Bennet and Leo Feler.Dr Khandelwal and Mr Ram Niwas had participated as practitioners from India.

          Mr Ram Niwas, urged researchers across the globe to take up pragmatic research in the areas of urban sanitation, water supply, sewerage system and solid waste management so that research is taken to the urban masses for their welfare.

          Mr Ram Niwas said that Faridabad, Panipat and Rohtak had been chosen to be developed as a model for poverty alleviation and slum improvement. Faridabad city has largest slum population of 2.3 lakh. He said that the J-PAL, the Jameel Poverty Action Lab, has accepted the proposal of Haryana Government to conduct research to check the problem of slum dwellers who sell their houses after their rehabilitation and again develop slums. The State Government has implemented Rajiv Gandhi Urban Renewal Mission for improvement of slums. He said that the State has 30,000 dry latrines and these are to be converted into sanitary latrines. The J-PAL has also accepted this challenge to guide the State Government.

          Dr Khandelwal said that keeping in view the high concentration of slums in towns of Faridabad, Panipat and Rohtak, the State Government wanted to develop such a complex which would not only have the facility of a toilet, but also of a shop to facilitate the people in purchasing items like soap and hair oil. This model would be replicated in the State. Such projects would be developed keeping in view the problems of the three specific cities.

          He said that Haryana has a total population of 2.53 crore, out of which 33 per cent people live in urban areas. Out of them 24 to 25 per cent people are living below the poverty line and they all deserved a quality life. He said that a Randomized Control Technique would be followed for research for which areas of solid waste management, slum improvement and how to check growth of slums would be covered.

          He said that Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, which is a part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been conducting research on alleviation of poverty in coordination with NGOs and Governments. It is using methods similar to those used in medicine that is systematic, randomized evaluations to test the effectiveness of anti-poverty programmes.

          Mr Ram Niwas said that the Conference held in Sri Lanka focused on how to address the problems of implementation of the ongoing schemes of poverty alleviation and also to provide minimum basic facilities to the people living in slums. The Haryana Chief Minister is of the view that every citizen has a right to lead a quality life. Therefore, Mr Hooda had announced to regularize unauthorized colonies. He said that this issue of 548 unauthorised colonies was under consideration of the Government as it was examining their financial and legal implications.