New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The government plans to introduce new legislation aimed at improving the condition of slum dwellers and street vendors, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Selja said Tuesday.
"We will be going for faster and more inclusive growth in the 12th Five Year Plan," said Selja, adding "The government is working on new legislation to improve the conditions of urban poor, especially slum dwellers and street vendors".
Addressing "India Urban Conference", the minister said India's urban population has risen sharply in recent years, posing a pressure on urban infrastructure.
According to the 2011 census, almost 377 million Indians - 31.1 percent of the population - resides in urban areas.
The minister said the majority of urban populace is poor, with nearly 93 million living in slums.
"We have introduced Rajiv Awas Yojna aimed to make India slum free," she said.
Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy and Yale University in collaboration with different ministries, state governments and civil societies organised a series of events across the country to help outline a feasible and implementable plan for urban development.
Director of Indian Institute for Human Settlements Aromar Revi said the event would provide a valuable input to policymakers to address the problems in urban India.
