Executive Summary:
This document is the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3131 regarding data on urban homelessness, to be answered on August 7, 2025. It provides data from the 2011 Census, details of the SUH component of DAY-NULM centrally sponsored scheme for providing shelters, and the responsibilities of States/UTs/ULBs in addressing urban homelessness. The implementation period of DAYNULM was until September 30, 2024.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Data on Urban Homelessness:**
* As per the 2011 Census, the total urban houseless population in India was 9,38,348. State/UT-wise details are provided in the annexure.
* **Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) under DAY-NULM:**
* The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) administered the SUH component of DAY-NULM, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, through States/UTs.
* SUH focused on providing permanent shelters with basic facilities to the urban homeless and aimed to converge various entitlements of social security, food, education, and healthcare.
* A total of 1,995 shelters were made functional across the country under DAY-NULM, before the scheme ended on September 30, 2024.
* **Responsibilities of States/UTs/ULBs:**
* Mapping the concentration areas of urban homeless is the responsibility of concerned States/UTs/ULBs.
* SUH guidelines provided for a systematic third-party survey by ULBs to assess the need for shelters.
* SUH guidelines stipulated provision for permanent shelters for a minimum of one hundred persons for every one lakh urban population.
* **Quality Evaluation and Audit:**
* The operational guidelines of SUH provisioned for States/UTs to undertake independent quality evaluation for quality checks on projects under implementation.
* It also provisioned quality audits of operational shelters on a quarterly basis, audits by third-party external reviewers, and organizing social audits of each shelter at least once a year.
Impact Analysis:
* **States/UTs/Urban Local Bodies (ULBs):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for addressing urban poverty alleviation and mapping the concentration areas of urban homeless.
* *Action Required:* Conduct systematic third-party surveys to assess the need for shelters, ensure the provision of shelters as per SUH guidelines, and undertake quality evaluations and audits of shelter projects.
* **Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA):**
* *Impact:* Formerly responsible for administering the SUH component of DAY-NULM.
* *Action Required:* N/A, as the DAY-NULM scheme ended on 30.09.2024.
* **Urban Homeless Population:**
* *Impact:* Access to shelter, sanitation, and basic services through shelters established under DAY-NULM.
* *Action Required:* Utilize the facilities and entitlements provided in the shelters.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for policies related to housing and urban development.
SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI: Member of LOK SABHA who asked the question regarding data on urban homelessness
Constitution of India: The supreme law of India, which allocates Urban Poverty Alleviation to Urban Local Bodies.
Census 2011: A nationwide census conducted in India, the data from which is used to estimate the urban houseless population.
DAYNULM: Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme focused on providing permanent shelters to the urban homeless.
States UTs: Refers to the States and Union Territories of India, which are responsible for implementing the SUH component of DAYNULM.
SUH: Shelter for Urban Homeless, a component of DAYNULM that focuses on providing permanent shelters equipped with basic facilities to the urban homeless.
Andhra Pradesh: The erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh i.e., the area now comprising the presentday State of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3131
TO BE ANSWERED ON AUGUST 07, 2025
DATA ON URBAN HOMELESSNESS
NO. 3131. SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI:
Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the Government maintains updated and disaggregated data on the
number of homeless individuals in urban areas across the country including
those who have migrated from rural regions in search of employment or
livelihoods and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether there are any centrally-sponsored schemes or dedicated
programmes aimed at addressing homelessness including access to
shelter, sanitation and basic services and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether there are any existing functional and adequately funded shelter
homes or night shelters in major urban areas and if so, the number of such
shelters established under central or State initiatives;
(d) whether the Government has assessed the adequacy of these shelters in
relation to the estimated homeless population and if any evaluation or
audit of these facilities has been conducted and if so, the details thereof;
and
(e) whether the Government proposes to implement a national-level
programme to construct and maintain shelter infrastructure in the 50 most
populated urban districts across the country, especially in light of rising
internal migration and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
(SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)
(a): As per 12th Schedule of the Constitution of India, Urban Poverty Alleviation
is a subject of Urban Local Bodies. However, as per Census 2011, the total
urban houseless population in the country was 9,38,348. The details are at
Annexure.
…2/--2-
(b)&(c): Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, (MoHUA) administered SUH
component of DAY-NULM, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, through
respective States/ UTs. It focussed on providing permanent shelters
equipped with basic facilities to the urban homeless. As per SUH
guidelines, convergence of various entitlements of social security, food,
education and health care systems are provided at the shelters for the
urban homeless. The implementation period of DAY-NULM was till
30.09.2024. As reported by States / UTs a total of 1,995 shelters have been
made functional across the country under DAY-NULM.
(d) & (e): It is the responsibility of concerned States/UTs/ Urban Local Bodies
(ULBs) to map the concentration areas of urban homeless. The guidelines
of SUH provided for conducting a systematic third-party survey by urban
local bodies so as to assess accurately the need for shelters at suitable
locations.
Guidelines of SUH provided that for every one lakh urban population, under
the scheme, provision should be made for permanent shelters for a
minimum of one hundred persons. Depending upon local conditions, each
shelter should preferably cater to 50 or more persons. In exceptional
situations, shelters with lesser capacity could also be approved.
The operational guidelines of SUH provisioned for States/UTs to undertake
independent quality evaluation for quality checks on projects under
implementation. It also provisioned quality audit of operational shelters on
a quarterly basis, audits by third party external reviewers and organizing
social audit of each shelter at least once a year. The Mission ended on
30.09.2024.
*****ANNEXURE
(REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3131
TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.08.2025)
Houseless Urban Population in India as per Census 2011
S. No. State/UT Urban Houseless Population
1 Andhra Pradesh* 75,857
2 Arunachal Pradesh 313
3 Assam 2,527
4 Bihar 12,591
5 Chhattisgarh 6,533
6 Goa 1,693
7 Gujarat 84,822
8 Haryana 23,789
9 Himachal Pradesh 872
10 Jammu & Kashmir 10,848
11 Jharkhand 6,967
12 Karnataka 35,473
13 Kerala 7,761
14 Madhya Pradesh 66,055
15 Maharashtra 1,11,373
16 Manipur 1,331
17 Meghalaya 177
18 Mizoram 104
19 Nagaland 344
20 Odisha 14,053
21 Punjab 18,374
22 Rajasthan 73,236
23 Sikkim 32
24 Tamil Nadu 37,117
25 Tripura 1,352
26 Uttar Pradesh 1,80,929
27 Uttarakhand 5,556
28 West Bengal 1,04,967
29 A & N Islands 65
30 Chandigarh 4,133
31 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 281
32 Daman & Diu 591
33 Delhi 46,724
34 Lakshadweep 0
35 Puducherry 1,508
Total 9,38,348
Source: Primary Census Abstract: Houseless Population, office of the Registrar General and Census
Commissioner, India.
Note: *: Andhra Pradesh means the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh i.e., the area now comprising
the present-day State of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.