Promoting sustainable urban development
Project description
Title: Inclusive Cities Partnership Programme (ICPP)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: India
Lead executing agency: Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA)
Overall term: 2014 to 2017
Context
According to current estimates, up to 600 million people (almost half of India's population) will be living in urban areas by 2030. Towns and cities are being overwhelmed by the rapid pace of urbanisation; they are unable to provide sufficient housing or adequate infrastructure such as roads and schools. Around half of the urban population already lives in slums. The Indian Government is making frequent attempts to improve the living conditions of people in poor urban neighbourhoods by relocating these individuals to newly built residential areas on the outskirts of cities. However, this often has precisely the opposite effect, exacerbating poverty as people's social environments and networks are broken up, families are torn apart, access to income and employment is made more difficult, and travel costs increase. At the same time, existing homes are being demolished. The new residential areas are resource-intensive, not least when it comes to connecting them to infrastructure networks, and this has a negative impact on the environment.
For some time now, the Indian Government has been seeking to pursue a programme of in-situ slum upgrading, whereby instead of relocating slum dwellers, their existing living conditions are improved in a socially responsible and environmentally friendly manner. However, these efforts are being impeded by a lack of relevant practical experience, tried-and-tested instruments and methods, and effective knowledge management at all levels. Generally speaking, national and sub-national administrations do not have sufficient expertise to upgrade slums effectively, according to schedule and in an inclusive way that benefits the poor.
Objective
Instruments and methods for the effective in-situ upgrading of slums have been developed and are being used by state governments and cities. The circumstances of slum dwellers have been improved as a result.
Approach
GIZ is assisting the Indian Government in improving the circumstances of slum dwellers in a socially responsible and environmentally friendly way that allows them to remain where they are. It is focusing on improving living conditions for those affected without completely demolishing existing homes. There are also plans to provide residents with basic services such as safe drinking water and electricity. An important principle of the programme is that its activities must build on existing structures and ensure that local residents are heavily involved in the relevant measures.
Working closely with selected urban administrations, the aim is to improve sanitary systems, water supply and sewage disposal. These measures will be supplemented through improved transport facilities, electricity supply and street lighting. The in-situ slum upgrading work will particularly benefit women, who will continue to enjoy the protection of their social networks and employers in their accustomed environments. Infrastructural improvements, such as better street lighting, will also increase safety for women.
The programme is working with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation to document and analyse the lessons learned in in-situ slum upgrading with decentralised service provision and minimal demolition activity. Manuals and toolkits are also being created as part of cooperation activities and provided to Indian states and urban administrations to help them implement the measures. The next step involves empowering urban administrations in particular to adapt successful projects to their own situations and to plan and implement them according to local needs. Selected training institutions are being advised on ways of integrating inclusive urban development topics into their curricula. This should ensure that decision-makers and technical staff at local and state level are trained to carry out urban development activities that are sustainable and inclusive.
Women are receiving special support to help them articulate and represent their interests more effectively. Local citizen representation bodies and self-help groups – preferably women's organisations wherever possible – are to serve as intermediaries between urban administrations and slum dwellers. With their help, slum residents should be empowered to become more involved in the relevant activities.