Guidelines for policy review project

Second Stage

Chapter 2: GOALS OF THE POLICY

When we think about Gujarat, the first thing that comes to our mind is the rapid
development in the state with the best scope for industries and entrepreneurship. But
the thing that remains neglected is the increasing number of slums in the state.
According to a report published in Times of India and Daily News and Analysis by
the Essel group, Gujarat ranks 3rd in having largest non-notified slums in the country.
The state has 2058 non-notified slums which have more than 3.84 lakh slum
households. This accounts for 9-10% of the country's 19,749 non-notified slums.1

As per the figures of Union ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation, only
Maharashtra (5769) and West Bengal (2684) have higher number of non-notified slums
than Gujarat.2 Besides, Gujarat has 2.84 lakh households living in those non-notified
slums that accounts of 8.74 % slum dwellers of the country's 32.49 lakh households
living in non-notified slums.

As per the survey by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), the estimated number
of households in slums in the state at 3.36 lakh. The proliferation of slums in the state
can be mainly attributed to the high migrant population, especially in cities such as
Surat and Ahmedabad, a large portion of which belongs to the labour class.3

After going through these data, now it will be easier to understand the basic objective
and goals of the Government behind enacting this policy of slum rehabilitation. The
specific goals/targets/objectives of this policy are as follows;

1. In-situ rehabilitation of the slums situated on public land in urban areas of the
State4: In situ means in the original place; this policy aims to rehabilitate the

1
Gujarat ranks third in largest ‘non-notifies’ slums list, By Ashish Chauhan, TNN, May 17 04:16 PM
IST
2
Ibid
3
Daily News and Analysis by Essel Group, Dec 25, 2013, 11:44 AM IST, DNA
4
Policy for in-situ rehabilitation of slums situated on public land by public-private partnership under
Mukhya Mantri GRUH (Gujarat Rural Urban Housing) Yojana. Government of Gujarat, Urban
Guidelines for policy review project

slum dwellers in their original place of residence and does not targets to shift
them somewhere else.
2. Provision of pucca houses with basic amenities having two rooms, kitchen,
bath room and latrine for slum dwellers families5: this policy aims to achieve
the idea that basic necessities should be availed by everyone in the society.
3. Ownership rights of the house to the beneficiaries after 15 years 6 : this
objective targets towards the housing for all motto of the current government.
4. Provision of hygienic and healthy life style especially for urban poor:
everybody is aware of the fact that slums are not well planned houses with
proper drainage systems7. Hence, they create a lot of health issues in the
society because of open defecation or lack of garbage disposal units. This
policy aims to combat this problem too.
5. Qualitative improvement in socio-economic and environmental conditions of
towns and cities of Gujarat8: to move towards the dream of vibrant Gujarat its
very essential to increase the environmental conditions as well as the
socio-economic conditions of state.
6. Attracting private investment by public-private partnership for this purpose9.
7. Simple and transparent policy framework to rehabilitate slums in-situ on
public land through public private partnership10.

 As far as the relationship between these goals and the problem that has been
identified is concerned, it will be very apt to say that there exists a direct
relationship among these two; because, slums problem arises due to the fact that
the poor or the labour class of any society is not capable enough to buy or rent a
house. So, the only option left before them is to live in a slum. It’s not their choice,
it’s their helplessness as the people living in the urban slums live their only for
earning livelihood which affords them two meals per day.

Development and Urban Housing Department, Resolution No. PRC/102013/783/TH, Sachivalaya,

Gandhinagar Dated the 18th July, 2013, p.01
5
Ibid
6
Ibid
7
Ibid
8
Ibid
9
Ibid
10
Ibid, p.02
Guidelines for policy review project

But if the government itself will provide housing to the urban poor with all the basic
amenities, there will be no need for them to live in a slum. Moreover, being a welfare
state it’s the duty of the government to provide these basic amenities to one and all.

Time limit: there is no time limit for implementing the goals of this policy as per the
official document. But is says that the targets must be achieved in a timely manner
which may be prescribed by the State Government.

However, the fact cannot be neglected that policy like this takes a lot of time for the
implementation and may be that is the reason why there is no specific time limit. To
achieve such dream goals, it is not feasible to contemplate the time but the feasibility
of this policy implementation should be based on the initiatives and steps that have
been taken by the government since 2013 to present. After 2013 amendment,
rehabilitation schemes by leading developers for eight slums, situated in both eastern
and western parts of Ahmedabad, got approval from the State Government (DNA
2012). The number subsequently increased to 12. The work in this field is going on
but not with the pace that is required.