**Executive Summary**
The document is a response from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3049, concerning the number of homeless people in India and the Scheme of Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH). The question was to be answered on December 18, 2025. The response provides data from the Census of India 2011, and details on the number of shelters operational as of September 30, 2024.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Homeless Population (2011 Census):**
* Total houseless population in India: 17,73,040.
* Urban areas: 9,38,348.
* Rural areas: 8,34,692.
* Male houseless population: 10,46,871.
* Female houseless population: 7,26,169.
* Age-wise data of the houseless population is not maintained by the Ministry.
* Detailed census information is available online.
* **Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) Scheme:**
* 1,995 shelters were operational across the country as of September 30, 2024.
* The shelters operate under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).
* DAY-NULM ended on September 30, 2024.
* Year-wise detail is at Annexure-I (see table below).
* **Shelter Operation and Occupancy:**
* Operation and maintenance of shelters are the responsibility of respective States/UTs.
* The Ministry does not maintain gender and age-wise details regarding occupancy of shelter homes.
* **Annexure I - Number of Shelters made operational**
| Financial Year | Number of Shelters made operational |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| 2014-15 | 227 |
| 2015-16 | 103 |
| 2016-17 | 346 |
| 2017-18 | 324 |
| 2018-19 | 301 |
| 2019-20 | 105 |
| 2020-21 | 180 |
| 2021-22 | 106 |
| 2022-23 | 123 |
| 2023-24 | 141 |
| 2024-25 (up to 30/09/2024) | 39 |
**Impact Analysis**
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the operation and maintenance of shelters for the urban homeless.
* **Action Required:** Continue to operate and maintain shelters in accordance with guidelines.
**Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs**
* **Impact:** Accountable for oversight of the Scheme of Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) and responding to parliamentary queries.
* **Action Required:** No immediate action, but may consider addressing data gaps (age-wise data for homeless, shelter occupancy).
Key Entities Referenced
Scheme of Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH): A government scheme aimed at providing shelter for the urban homeless population.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: The central ministry responsible for the Scheme of Shelter for Urban Homeless and related policies.
Census of India 2011: The national census providing data on the houseless population, which is referenced in the document.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM): A national mission, whose component is 'Shelter for Urban Homeless', aiming to reduce poverty and vulnerability of urban poor households.
States/UTs: States and Union Territories are responsible for the operation and maintenance of shelters under the Scheme of Shelter for Urban Homeless.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3049
TO BE ANSWERED ON DECEMBER 18, 2025
SCHEME OF SHELTER FOR URBAN HOMELESS
NO. 3049. MR. PATHAN YUSUF:
Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the Government has enumerated the number of homeless people in
the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the total number of urban and rural homeless
people, gender and age- wise;
(c) the details and the number of shelter homes created under the Scheme of
Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) since its inception, year-wise; and
(d) the details of the current occupancy of these shelter homes, gender and age-
wise?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
(SHRI TOKHAN SAHU)
(a) & (b): As per Census of India 2011, a total of 17,73,040 people are houseless
in the country, out of which 9,38,348 are in urban areas and 8,34,692 are in
rural areas. Total population of male and female houseless people are
10,46,871 and 7,26,169 respectively. The information is available at:
https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/5047/download/8124/PCA_
HL_2011_Release.xls]. Age-wise details of Houseless population is not
maintained by this Ministry.
(c): As reported by States / UTs, on 30.09.2024, 1,995 shelters for urban homeless
were operational across the country under Shelter for Urban Homeless
component of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods
Mission. Year-wise detail is at Annexure-I. DAY-NULM ended on 30.09.2024.
(d): As per operational guidelines for ‘Scheme of Shelter for Urban Homeless’, the
operation and maintenance of shelters was the responsibility of the
respective States/UTs. Therefore, gender and age-wise details regarding
occupancy of shelter homes is not maintained by this Ministry.
*****ANNEXURE-I REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (C) OF LOK SABHA QUESTION NO.
3049 TO BE ANSWERED ON DECEMBER 18, 2025
Sl No. Financial Year Number of Shelters
made operational
1 2014-15 227
2 2015-16 103
3 2016-17 346
4 2017-18 324
5 2018-19 301
6 2019-20 105
7 2020-21 180
8 2021-22 106
9 2022-23 123
10 2023-24 141
11 2024-25 39
01.04.2024 to 30.09.2024)