New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) India’s millions of urban poor have reason to cheer. A new housing scheme, Rajiv Awas Yojana, was announced Wednesday promising to improve their lives and aiming to make the country “slum free” in the next five years.
Announcing her ministry’s 100-day plan, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja said: “Rajiv Awas Yojana on the lines of the Indira Awas Yojana is being formulated to promote a slum free India in five years.”

“The scheme will focus on according property rights to slumdwellers and the urban poor with the help of the state government. The housing scheme will offer a ray of hope to slumdwellers and other urban poor to access a decent and dignified living environment and affordable home,” Selja said.

“The legal framework will cover the provision of security of tenure to the urban poor and also make land available for affordable housing,” she said.

Selja said the ministry will explore partnerships between the urban poor, municipalities, private developers and the state government to create affordable homes.

According to the Registrar General of India, there are about 81 million urban poor in India.

“The scheme will provide basic amenities such as water supply, sewerage, drainage, internal and approach roads, street lighting and social infrastructure facilities in slums and low income settlements,” she said.

According to Selja, the ministry will support an Inclusive City Campaign involving all stakeholders to alter the existing city planning model and prepare inclusive Master Plans/City Development Plans that adequately address the concerns of the urban poor for affordable housing.

The ministry is also planning to include cities with a population of 500,000 under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for creation of financially sustainable inclusive cities.

A skill development programme for employment promotion for the urban poor is also on the 100-day agenda of the ministry.

“Focus will be on imparting quality training and skill certification through reputed institutions or skills training providers so that the urban poor youth will be enabled to enhance their income and improve their living conditions. At least 30 percent of the trainees shall be women,” Selja said.

The ministry is planning to impart training to 1000,000 youths over the next five years and starting with 200,000 in 2009-10.