Govt of India report ranks Gujarat No 23 among 25 states in national slum improvement index

By A Representative
A high-level committee appointed by the Government of India has ranked Gujarat 23rd among 25 states in bringing about improvement in slums. In a report handed over by the committee to the Union housing and poverty alleviation ministry last week, the 16-person committee, which was headed by well-known academic Prof Amitabh Kundu, the report said that Uttarakhand ranked No 1 and Assam last in slum improvement index.
The committee was set up by the Government of India in January 16. The report further says that among the states which are among the top five which have made major improvements in slum development include the so-called Bimaru states like Bihar and Rajasthan and the "rich" Maharashtra. Maharashtra ranks sixth in slum improvement, it suggests.
Providing the first-ever national slum improvement index, the report, in fact, says that Gujarat's slum improvement has worsened over the last one decade.The committee has used the National Sample Survey the Census of India data in order to rank the 25 states.
The report simultaneously ranks 24 cities major, ranking Jaipur as the best, showing the best improvement, and Vadodara, Gujarat's cultural capital, last. While the three main Maharashtra cities -- Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur have been ranked seventh, fifth and sixth, Gujarat;s business capital Ahmedabad ranks 12th.
The ranking, says the report, is based on the "improvement of slums on six broad indicators" -- magnitude of population, availability of amenities, condition of households, possession of assets, social dimensions, and access to banking facilities taking into account 7,550 slums (with 2 lakh households) across 25 states.
In an effort to downplay the ranking, however, the report seeks to suggest that is has been done merely for what it calls "illustrative purpose", as there is still not enough data to rank slum improvement in a comprehensive way. Yet, the report is considered significant, because 6.5 crore population lives in slums in Indian, which 17 per cent of the total urban population.
The report points towards how cities are moving towards "exclusiveness", seeking to "push" slumdwellers outside the city limits. It suggests this is "obvious" from the the population data.Yet, it finds that the urban population growth of India has "remained constant since 1991", the main reason for which is "decline in the natural growth in urban population and sluggish migration from rural to urban areas."
Coming to recommendations, the report asks the Government of India to work out a policy which which would offer slumdwellers "tenure security" and "rehabilitation" rather than eviction, which is a hallmark as of now in order to make cities "look beautiful".
A prominent daily, which carried a news item on the report, has, meanwhile, quoted Government of India officials as saying that it might "use" some of its findings for "effective implementations of the policies and allocation of funds to the states." However, the official was quoted as saying that the data were "inconsistent", and lack of data base is a major reason why it is difficult to effectively implement slum improvement policies.
Due to these slum data inconsistencies, the official has been quoted as saying, India has "not been able to accurately present the country's progress towards the UN Millennium development Goal Target of significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers".

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

Search This Blog