The tale of housing and urban poverty

by Shibani Dasgupta

Unspent funds have left schemes like Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) high and dry and one effort that is seen more in the papers than the ground. Even the urban poverty funds have not been properly used by the States. As things stand, the Governments are neither accountable nor responsible. Obviously, this calls for tough decisions if the desired goals are to be achieved.

The Standing Committee on Urban Development (2006-07) have hauled up the government for non-utilisation of allotted funds earmarked for various schemes and leaving the money unspent to the implementing agencies like National Building Construction Corporation.

In its report submitted to Parliament in March 07, it was noted that it could not but conclude that the performance and monitoring of various schemes of the Ministry has not been up to the mark.   The Committee in their report noted that the Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation has surrendered Rs. 453.00 crores during the year 2001-02 to 2004-05 and as on 31 ^st December 2005 Rs. 1320.70 crores were lying as unspent balance with states and union territories under various schemes of the Ministries.

Reacting to a Ministry reply that the accumulated unspent funds are quite less then what was reflected in statements, the Committee desired that a correct picture of the unspent balance of funds under various schemes including the scheme of Swarna Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) must be given by the Ministry in their budgetary papers vis-à-vis the funds released in a financial year for the perusal of the Committee.   All states and union territories must be persuaded to furnish their utilization certificates from time to time so that the implementation proves of the scheme is not adversely affected.

Keeping in view the poor performance of urban poverty funds, the Committee desired that all states and union territories must be persuaded to furnish their utilization certificates from time to time so that the implementation process of the scheme is not adversely affected.

Keeping in view the poor performance of urban poverty alleviation schemes, the Committee notes that there is lack of awareness amongst the urban poor about the benefits of UPA schemes and their efficacy.   As already stated on several occasions, the Committee recommended that the Ministry should give wide publicity to its various schemes so as to create awareness among the urban poor.   The Committee may be apprised about the action taken in this regard.

The Committee noted that up to 31-12-2005, Rs. 217.45 crores was lying as unspent balance with states and union territories under SJSRY.  The Committee also noted that Jharkhand, Gujarat, Goa, Northeastern states and all the UTs are defaulting in furnishing details of utilization certificates and the scheme is not performing well in almost all the UTs.

Early Completion of House to House Surveys: The Committee has noted that house to house survey has been done in only 3646 towns out of 3755 town in the country up to 31 ^st March 2006 for the identification of beneficiaries living below the poverty line.  No timeframe has been fixed by the Ministry for completion of house to house survey by the states.   The Committee was of the view that in the absence of state specific urban poverty line list, it would be difficult to implement effectively, SJSRY scheme and assess the impact of the scheme on the persons living below the poverty line.

The Committee has recommended that the Government should persuade states and union territories which are lagging behind in completion of BPL survey to complete the house to house survey at the earliest.   The poverty line should reflect the prevailing conditions of the urban poor on non-economic parameters of the respective states and union territories.   The Committee went on further to suggest that the house to house survey of remaining 109 towns be completed without further delay and the Ministry should also fix a time frame for the survey.   The Committee may be apprised about the action taken in this regard.

Finalisation of Guidelines on Integrated Low Cost Sanitation Scheme (ILCS): The Committee hauled up most of the inability to implement the ILCS by the state governments and local agencies.   It said that in order to eliminate the dehumanizing practice of physically carrying night soil, the centrally sponsored scheme for ILCS was initiated in 1981.   Since its inception the scheme is infested with numerous problems and it has not performed well.

In the 10^th Plan, Rs. 200 crores have been allocated for the scheme, but only 29.60 crores has been released up to 31 ^st January 2006.  In the circumstances, the Committee is compelled to believe that the Government has launched ILCS without doing proper study and homework.   Moreover, the Government has also not shown any responsibility and accountability in revising the scheme timely which is meant for eradicating manual scavenging.

The Committee recommend the Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation should revise the guidelines of the scheme after incorporating suggestions and comments of the state governments and Planning Commission so as to make it user friendly.   The Ministry should ensure that the disadvantaged and deprived sections of society are given a fair deal so that they can live with human dignity and should take concerted action in association with state governments and other central ministries to rehabilitate the manual scavengers.