2,400 slums in Mumbai and 675 in Delhi: Govt in Lok Sabha

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) There are 2,400 slums in Mumbai and 675 in Delhi, the government told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

In written reply to a question, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore said the ministry is supplementing the efforts of states and Union territories under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) for construction of houses for all eligible beneficiaries, including slum-dwellers.

“As per Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), there are 675 slums in Delhi whereas as per Slum Redevelopment Authority (SRA), Mumbai, Government of Maharashtra, a total of 2,400 slums are (there) in Mumbai,” he said.

The Economic Survey of Delhi (2020-21) states the National Capital Territory of Delhi covers an area of 1,483 square kilometre, of which 1,114 sq km is designated as urban and 369 sq km as rural.

According to the 2011 Census, the population of Delhi was around 1.68 crore while Mumbai’s population was 1.24 crore.

The geographical area of Mumbai is 437 sq km, according to the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority, which is a planning body for Mumbai and its satellite cities.

In his reply, Kishore said the PMAY-U is not a target-driven scheme but adopts a demand-driven approach wherein states and Union territories have been empowered to approve projects for all eligible beneficiaries identified by them through a demand survey based on the eligibility criteria.

According to the minister, against the validated demand of 1.12 crore houses, as on March 31 this year, 122.69 lakh houses were sanctioned by the ministry based on the project proposals submitted by states and UTs.

Out of which, 1.06 crore houses have been grounded and 65.5 lakh have been completed/ delivered to the beneficiaries.

He said 17.77 lakh houses under different verticals of PMAY-U have been sanctioned for slum-dwellers.

He also said that in addition, the central government supplements the efforts of states and UTs to provide basic amenities to the urban poor, including slum-dwellers, through various missions such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT 2.0), Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U 2.0), Smart Cities Mission (SCM), National Health Mission, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.