Urban amenities hit by migration: Survey

The absence of a focussed urban development programme in India is beginning to show. Official figures released recently, reveal that the availability of essential services in urban areas still leaves a lot to be desired. The growing pressure of population, on account of migration, is making matters worse.

Data released recently by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) show that while the provision of essential services in rural areas has improved over the years, the spread of services like provision of drinking water and electricity supply has not been as good in urban areas.

Eleven per cent of urban households did not have access to sufficient drinking water throughout the year in 2002. In urban slums and squatter settlements, the position is worse, with 18 per cent of households not having sufficient supply.

The percentage of households in urban areas which had sufficient water supply from taps or tubewells went up from 70 per cent in 1993 to 84 per cent in 2002.

Part of the problem is migration to urban areas. Cities and towns are seeing a population growth of about 4 per cent a year against 1.5 per cent in rural areas. Most migrants move into slums and squatter settlements, which are poorly serviced.

The lack of a focused urban development programme is beginning to pinch. The Rs 1,500-crore National Urban Renewal Mission to be implemented this year onwards is aimed at addressing this problem.

Eight per cent of the urban households do not have access to electricity, with the situation worse in slums and squatter settlements, where the figure was 14 per cent in 2002.

In the years between 1993 and 2002, the percentage of electrified households in urban areas went up from 81 per cent to 92 per cent, according to a nationwide survey of housing conditions carried out by the NSSO during July-December 2002.

On garbage disposal facilities in urban areas, the survey found that only 59 per cent of the respondent households received any assistance from civic bodies.

In slums and squatter settlements, 26 per cent of the responding households had arrangements for garbage disposal, while in case of other urban areas, the figure was 19 per cent.

Supply of essential services has however improved in rural areas""dramatically in case of drinking water"" and not so well in electricity supply.

The drinking water mission has made an impact in rural areas, with 71 per cent of responding households saying they received sufficient drinking water throughout the year from a tap or tubewell. The figure was up from 19 per cent in 1993.

Forty six per cent of rural households, which translates into 34.5 crore people, were dependent on kerosene for lighting in 2002, according to the survey.

The percentage of electrified rural households rose from 36 per cent in 1993, to 53 per cent in 2002.