Jnnurm: Serving the Urban Poor

Cities and towns of India constitute the world's second largest urban system. They contribute over 50% of country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and are central to economic growth. For these cities to realize their full potential and become true engines of growth, it is necessary that focused attention be given to the improvement of infrastructure and basic services to the poor therein. For achieving this objective, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) was launched on 3^rd December, 2005.

 The Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation is implementing the Sub-Mission on Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) and the Integrated Housing & Slum Development (IHSDP) for smaller towns/cities under JNNURM.  The basic objective is to strive for holistic slum development with a healthy and enabling urban environment by providing adequate shelter and basic infrastructure facilities to the slum dwellers of the identified urban areas.  Basic Services would include improved housing, water supply, sanitation and ensuring delivery through convergence of other already existing universal services of the Government such as  education, health and social security.

Following are the highlights of achievements under BSUP & IHSDP.

·         More than 1.61 million houses sanctioned (16,15,775).

·         1536 projects of housing and basic amenities to the urban poor with an outlay of more than  Rs 40,914 crores  approved with the Additional Central Share (Grant) of Rs. 22,116.28 crores committed.

·         ACA of Rs. 11481.52 crores has been released.

·         All States and 64 Mission Cities are covered under BSUP.

·         872 medium and small cities/towns are covered under IHSDP so far.

·         About 4.71 lakh houses  have been completed

·         4.10 lakh houses are in progress

·         2.57 lakh houses have been occupied

·         Progress of 3  key reforms under JNNURM is largely on track

Other Highlights of the programme so far:

Ø  Financial support for setting up of Programme Management Units (PMUs) in 27 States/UTs has been approved to assist States in monitoring BSUP, IHSDP and other urban poverty alleviation/slum development schemes. 22 PMUs have so far been established and the rest are under process.

Ø  Financial support for setting up of 119 Project Implementation Units (PIUs) has also been approved at the City/ULBs levels to assist cities/project implementing agencies in monitor BSUP, IHSDP and other urban poverty alleviation/slum development schemes. 95 PIUs have so far been established and the rest are under process.

Ø  A framework for Third Party Inspection and Monitoring (TPIM) has been  established and 30 agencies for independent third party inspection and monitoring have been  empanelled by Mission Directorate. TPIMs for 18 States, namely Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have been approved. 

Ø  In furtherance of the objective of ensuring quality of projects under BSUP and IHSDP, two Agencies have been engaged at the Central level after selecting 126 projects on sample basis from the States/ULBs for purpose of TPIM by Government of India. 

Ø  An Online JNNURM tracking system as part of an Integrated Poverty Monitoring System (IPoMS) is developed and is under implementation. 20 States have adopted IPoMS so far and sending key progress reports online.

Ø  States have been exhorted to start preparations for social audit of projects under BSUP & IHSDP. The Manual for Social Audit has been circulated to States/UTs for initiating a process of social audit with the involvement of beneficiaries, reputed NGOs and other stakeholders.

Ø  Financial assistance is being provided for training and capacity building programmes for personnel at various levels and supporting the establishment of National/Regional/State Urban Resource Centers to promote the development of institutional capacity.

Ø  Guidelines on financial support for funding various activities related to ‘Project Implementation and Quality Assurance’ and ‘Community Mobilisation’ relating to BSUP/IHSDP Projects under JNNURM circulated to all States.

Ø  More than 200 capacity building/handholding programmes have been conducted across the country and more than 15,500 State/parastatal/local body officials trained in project formulation, design, implementation and monitoring.