Slum redevelopment and rehabilitation projects are often in a state of deadlock: any significant change requires more resources and land. However, availing of more resources and land requires significant change on the ground. Reflecting the magnitude of the challenge, several ambitious slum redevelopment projects have either been ineffective or have become notorious non-starters. For example [...]
Sharadha, aged 14, lives in one of Hyderabad’s slums. Her mother works as domestic help in local housing complexes. Sharadha likes going to school and aspires to be a teacher someday. However, because she has a poor attendance record, she may not be able to move onto the next grade. She has invariably been skipping [...]
In March 2013, the Registrar General of India (RGI) published, for the very first time, comprehensive datasets on housing, amenities and assets in Indian slums, based on information collected during the 2011 Census. Up until this report, the assessment of challenges pertaining to urban poverty had no disaggregated numbers to substantiate or inform policy design. [...]
After a slew of scams and controversies for India’s ruling UPA (United Progressive Alliance) coalition, the newly unveiled 2013-2014 budget signals a return to the UPA’s primary agenda of economic growth. At various points in his speech, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram assured investors and voters that the UPA government was firmly committed to the “Indian [...]
Today, Bangladesh is perhaps the most climate change-aware nation in the world. Innovations and discussions around addressing challenges related to frequent floods, cyclones and water-logging, as well as rural migration abound. One interesting view is that if water is going to take over more and more land, solutions should leverage water’s presence rather than try [...]
December 27, 2012
While nobody knows exactly how many people are involved in trafficking, forcing children and women into prostitution, a study from 2009 commissioned by the Ministry of Women and Child Development estimates that India has about three million prostitutes, of which 40%, or more than one million, are children.
November 20, 2012
In October 2012, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised India’s economic growth for fiscal year 2012-2013 down to 4.9%. Similar downgrades were already made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Standard & Poor’s (S&P), Fitch and even India’s own newly-appointed Chief Economic Advisor Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan. The downgrades are unlikely to have taken anyone [...]
November 20, 2012
Fast growing urban agglomerations in the hill states of India are seldom the focus of discussions on urbanization and its challenges. Topography itself is a significant challenge for hill cities. Add to that the dimension of being a conflict zone and the challenges multiply. Srinagar is one such city.
November 20, 2012
Among the urban poor, the most marginalized often have no access to shelter. Instead, they live in makeshift homes on sidewalks or pavements, underneath bridges and flyovers, along railways lines and in or near railway stations across the city. Often called ‘pavement dwellers,’ these homeless urban poor appear to be increasing in numbers. Their makeshift [...]
November 20, 2012
Rapidly urbanizing Bangladesh is the world’s eighth most populous country, and, city-states aside, the world’s most densely populated country. Depending on the source, annual urban population growth ranges from 3% to 6%. Today, 28% of Bangladesh’s total population, or approximately 45 million people, lives in cities, and it is projected that that number will cross [...]
December 27, 2012
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