Challenging Inclusive Growth Policies

Sponsored by
Department of Social Welfare
NCT of Delhi

Shipra Maitra
Balwant Singh Mehta

INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

NIDM Building, 3rd Floor, IIPA Campus
I.P Estate, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110 002
Phones – 2335 8166, 2332 1610 / Fax : 23765410
Email: ihd@vsnl.com, website:ihdindia.org

2007
 CONTENTS

Acknowledgement i

Major Findings ii-iv

CHAPTER- I : INTRODUCTION 1-15

1.1 Characteristics of Shelterlessness 2
1.2 Shelterless in India 4
1.3 Definition and Number of Shelterless Persons 5
1.4 Census coverage of Houseless persons in Delhi 7
1.5 Concern for Shelterless in Delhi Master Plan 2021 8
1.6 Need for the Survey 9
1.7 Objectives 10
1.8 Methodology 10
1.9 Limitations of the Survey 14

CHAPTER- II : PROFILE OF THE SHELTERLESS 16-28

2.1 Locational Concentration 17
2.2 Migration 18
2.2a Reasons for Migration 19
2.3 Socio Cultural Profile 21
2.3a Caste Profile 21
2.3b Religion 22
2.3c Marital Status 23
2.4 Age group Distribution 23
2.5 Occupational Pattern 25
2.6 Level of Education 26

CHAPTER–III : WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY 29-35

3.1 Demographic Characteristics 29
3.2 Level of Education 31

CHAPTER– IV : CHALLENGING INCLUSIVE GROWTH POLICIES 36-56

4.1 Economic Profile 37
4.1a Reasons for Coming to Delhi 37
4.1b Average Income Earned 38
4.1c Average Expenditure 39
4.1d Remittance 40
4.2 Livelihood Concerns 41

4.2 a Reasons for Leaving Home 41

4.2 b Dependent Family Members 41
4.2c Identification Documents (ID) 42
4.2d Strong Linkage with Native Place 43
4.2e Personal Belongings 45
4.2f Cooking Fuel 46
4.2g Duration of Stay 47
4.2h Long Working Hours 47
 4.2i Changing Sleeping Place 48
4.2j Awareness and Utilisation of Night Shelters 49
4.2k Support Towards Livelihood 50
4.3 State of Basic Amenities 50
4.3a Health Concerns 50
4.3b Sanitation 52
4.3c Drinking Water 53
4.4 Risks of being Shelterless 53
4.5 Future Perception 54
4.6 Estimates of Shelterless Persons 56

CHAPTER -V GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS 57-67

5.1 The Night Shelters 57
5.2 Occupancy 61
5.3 Alternatives to Housing 63
5.4 Perceptions of the Inmates 63
5.5 Major Problems 66
5.6 Future Perception 67

CHAPTER - VI CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 68-73

ANNEXURE (TABLES & QUESTIONNAIRES) I- XII 74-85

PHOTOGRAPHS 86-89
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We express sincere thanks to the Director, Ms. J. Raghuraman and Joint

Director, Ms. Rashmi Singh of Department of Social Welfare (DSW), Government
of National Capital Territory of Delhi, for assigning the Survey on Houslessness
in Delhi to the Institute for Human Development (IHD). This study required
cooperation and involvement of various persons at different level. We are grateful
to the three Joint Commissioners of Police, namely, Shri Alok Kumar Verma, Shri
P.R. Meena and Shri Rajesh Kumar for extending all possible helps required
during the survey. All the following nine District Commissioners could find time
for interview despite their busy schedules and helped us in supplying relevant
data;

1. Shri H. Rajesh Prasad, DC South

2. Shri Rajib Kale, DC, South West
3. Shri Hansraj, DC, North West
4. Shri Sanjay Saxena, DC, West
5. Shri K.K. Jindal, DC North
6. Shri Ramesh Tewari, DC Central
7. Ms. Rinku Dhugga, DC, New Delhi
8. Ms. Rashmi Krishnan, DC, East
9. Dr. V. Chandvellu, DC, North East

We express sincere thanks to all of them. Local SHOs and Beat constables
helped us in organizing group discussions and roaming feely at night in various
localities. We met several NGOs who kindly were involved in these discussions
and also helped in organizing them. We are thankful to Ms. Paramjit Kaur of
Ashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA) for helpful discussions.

Dr. A.N. Sharma, Director, IHD, has been constant source of inspiration. He has
guided us throughout the project with his widely acclaimed experience and
knowledge in the field of human development. We are grateful to him for
entrusting this assignment to us. Last but not the least, this work would never be
completed without help from colleagues and staff of IHD. We are particularly
thankful to Mr Shri Prakash Sharma and P.K. Mishra for word processing, Shri
Prem Chandra, Ms. Madhavi Chauhan and Ms. Jyoti Girish for administrative
help. Any errors and lapses are, however, ours.

Shipra Maitra
Balwant Singh Mehta

i
 MAJOR FINDINGS

This report has generated data at two levels – (1) Total headcount of the shelterless and
(2) the sample survey of 1997 persons, both carried out simultaneously.

We targeted 2000 parsons in a detailed sample survey in order to generate a

respectable critical mass but got responses from 1997 persons within the limited time
period. This sample, selected at random, reflects district wise concentration of
shelterless as was evident in the headcount survey. Only 92 women emerged along with
1905 males reflecting the male- dominated character of the shelterless. Similarly,
religious dominance by Hindus and majority of population in the working age group were
evident. The sample showed also the dominance of OBC as caste followed by the
Scheduled Caste. Literacy rate has been found to be very low, much below the state
average. Majority of the shelterless are married and left their families in the native
places. In general, samples, taken at random, reflected the general characteristics of the
shelterless persons in Delhi.

Major objectives of this sample survey were to understand their conditions in depth. The
questionnaire based survey focused their economic compulsions, livelihood patterns,
reasons for being shelterless, duration of stay as shelterless, gains form city life, health
conditions, sanitation practices, major risks of being shelterless and future plans.

The head count survey reveals that there are a total of 46788 shelterless persons
in Delhi, with 39465 (84.35 per cent) men and 7323 (15.65 per cent) women.
Uttar Pradesh sends the maximum number of shelterless persons in Delhi,
followed by Bihar. These two states taken together, account for about 69 per cent
of total shelterless.
The migrant shelterless almost uniformly cite the single most reason for migration
as job prospects near their native place.
OBCs have maximum share (about 45 per cent) of total shelterless in Delhi,
share of the Scheduled Castes (SC) being second (34.05).
There are 375 children below 5 years of age forming less than one per cent of
total shelterless in the capital.
The aged population (60 year and above) form almost 3 per cent of total
shelterless in the capital.
Persons in the working age group constitute more than 90 per cent of the
shelterless, contributing significantly to the total labour force.
Children between 11 and 14 years (3.16 percent of total shelterless population)
also contribute to the labour force as many of them are employed in the informal
sector despite being prevented under law.
Relatively smaller proportion of children below 5 years compared to those above
60 may also indicate high child mortality rate
The shelterless generally works as construction labourer and rickshaw puller.
There is significant number of construction labourers among the women also.
However, a large section of them earn their living as beggars.
The shleterless work seven days a week and 9 to 10 hours a day without any
gender bias.

ii
Little children (5 to 1o years) also take to beggary (9.11%) and work as domestic
workers (3.80%).
Average literacy rate of the shelterless is almost one fourth of the city average.
Female literacy is lower than the male literacy as has been observed in city
average as well.
The head count reveals that approximately three-quarter of the shelterless are
illiterate.
There are 208 elderly women compared to 1062 elderly men.
Girls form more than 27 percent of total children below 14 years.
There are only 58 children educated at primary level and 10 at secondary level in
a total of 2777 children aged between 6 to 14 years.
In the secondary level, there are only 7 boys and 3 girls in a total of 1480 children
aged between 11 to 14 years.
There are 146 adult male against only 25 adult female who read at secondary
level in a total of 43502 adults.
Only 9 men are educated up to graduation level whereas there is not a single
lady graduate among the shelterless..
There are 2929 shelterless children, aged between 5 to 14 years, engaged in
several occupations, majority of them being associated with construction work.
More children are engaged in beggary than in rag picking, close to 3 per cent
are employed as domestic help.
Unemployed rate is much lower in case of girls compared to the boys, indicating
the plight of girl child.
Majority of them (nearly 63 per cent) has a monthly income ranging from Rs.
2000 to 3000.
The shelterless in Delhi earns between Rs. 70 and Rs. 100 per day on average.
On the average, men are able to send home around Rs. 12,000 annually. The
women save almost half of that amount as they also earn less.
Among 1997 persons surveyed, there are 110 persons with families in Delhi,
1534 persons with families in native places and 353 persons with no family.
About one-third of them do not have any kind of documents to establish their
identity, either in Delhi or in their native places.
The most common document they possess is the voter ID in their native places.
There is 35 per cent of the total shelterless who have these IDs.
Primary reason of the shelterless for going home is to repay loans (74.5%).
Majority of them (61.26%) keep their things with themselves.
Majority of the shelterless use firewood as the main cooking fuel as it is the
cheapest.
Maximum duration of stay as shelterless is observed between 5 to 10 years.
It is observed that close to 80 percent of them do not change their sleeping
place, either in the open or in the night shelters, provided they are allowed to do
so.
iii
Only a little more than one third of the persons surveyed knew about the
existence of night shelters.
Even among those who knew about this scheme, nearly 70 per cent of them
decided not to sleep in such shelters.
Majority of the shelterless, who do not sleep in these shelters, consider the night
shelters to be unsafe for sleeping.
The shelterless women remain outside the Stree Shakti Camps organized by the
state governments. They do not quality as beneficiaries.
Majority of the shelter less do not consult doctors in the city for their illness.
It is only 2 persons among 1997 surveyed who have taken advantage of pulse
polio treatments though the headcount survey shows that the there are more
than 300 infants among the shelter less.
They suffer more from accidents than common diseases like cold/flu or diarrhea.
Government hospitals are the most common place where the shelterless go for
treatment.
More than 36 per cent of men and more than 46 per cent of women still use open
fields for defecation.
Community tap is the most significant source of dirking water for the shelterless
in Delhi.
Eviction threat and police harassment are two major risks for the shelterless.
The estimated number of shelterless person by 2016 is 141,091 according to IHD
survey and 34,166 according to calculated Census Growth Rate of shelterless
person.
 SHELTERLESS PERSONS IN DELHI
CHALLENGING INCLUSIVE GROWTH POLICIES

Chapter I
INTRODUCTION

Houselessness is a historical phenomenon spread all over the world. In the United
States, houselessness and the risk of being landless are on the rise. Los Angeles, the
capital of fantasies, also shows the highest concentration of homeless in the USA. In
Canada, houselessness is recognized as national disaster. In Toronto, one of Canada’s
richest cities, thousands of people have been left without access to basic human needs.
Japan has experienced increasing houselessness since 1992, when the recession
began. In Japan, the term houseless refers to persons sleeping in open spaces only
without including those living in night shelters. This figure was 27,000 in 2005. In
Indonesia, the pavement dwellers and squatters are the poorest of the poor of the urban
population. But they are generally not eligible for various poor-centric government
programmes as they are considered illegal settlers.

The problems of the shelterless have not found much favour with the urban researchers
in India, even though research on urbanization and urban issues occupies an important
place in the social science literature of the country. There has been an explosion of
literature on urbanization and urban issues, some major ones relating to urbanization
trends and processes, urban labour market, slums and urban poverty, land, shelter and
local governance. Surprisingly, studies related to urban poverty or shelters have
overlooked the plight of shelterless persons, possibly because they form less than one
per cent of total population according to census estimates. Slums and squatter
settlements have mushroomed in most large cities, catering anywhere between 15 to
35 per cent of the total urban population. Majority of slum related studies were designed
to investigate the demographic, economic and social conditions of the slum dwellers.
Studies related to urban poverty have found in general that while the incidence of urban
poverty has registered a decline in recent years, deprivation as shown by the proportion
of persons without productive employment, shelter and services has increased
substantially.
Urbanisation of poverty is a universally acknowledged phenomenon. Rural poverty
strategies have not been able to restrict this exodus of rural poor to urban areas largely
because of the inevitability of urban dynamics, prominently surfacing across the entire
developing world. It has created two distinct dimensions in the cities; (a) deprived of a
proper urban habitat, the poor have had to find residential foot hold in slums, and (b) in
their search for employment and enterprise, they have been forced to find survival in the
informal sector. Increase in urbanization of poverty has led to increase in size of informal
sector. People who could not even find accommodation in slums have formed the
shelterless group – the most vulnerable among urban poor.

1.1 Characteristics of Shelterlessness

The disaster of houselessness may be broadly explained by two sets of factors:
(1) Social factors – Violence at home, behavioral problem, living away from home,
anxiety and obsessions, alcohol, drugs, crime, depression, lack of education,
eviction and poverty are some of the major reasons citied as explanation for
homelessness.
(2) Natural factors: Earthquake, floods, lack of rain, and other natural disasters
like Tsunami make thousands of persons shelterless.

The phenomenon of homelessness is not monolithic. The manifestation of

houselessness varies not only globally but also nationally due to interest diversity of its
causes and consequences. Simultaneously, the houseless also shares similarity on
issues of social exclusion, life experience and felt needs despite their differentiation in
terms of age, sex and social unit. Homogeneous representation, through uniform
definitions as adopted in the census of different counties, may make intersections less
effective in developing countries where the extent of homelessness is great and varied
but resources are scarce. It is important to understand this dichotomy of diversity-
similarly component before preparing any policy framework. Access of the poor to home
– a social- spatial realm – is a pre-condition for benefiting from human development
practice that aims to improve upon people’s ability to earn, learn and live healthy.

The concept of home generally is an ideological construct besides being a concrete

setting or daily household production and reproduction. A given home is imbued with
social and cultural values, operates under specific gender relations and guides familial
and kinship patterns among its dwellers. These are more relevant in rural setting but
applicable in urban towns and metro cities over a period of time. Hence, living without a
roof over head does not capture homelessness in broader sense. From a social
perspective, people can be homeless even when living in a legitimate shelter from
reasons beyond their control. Loss of identity instead of only shelter contributes to a
given individual or group perception of homelessness, i.e. abandoned children, trafficked
women etc. Home is also imbued with economic implications besides its commodity
potential (own, sell or rent). A given home provides a setting for income generation and
various subsistence activities essential for the day to day survival of its dwellers. Thus
existence without a home has serious physical, social and economic consequences that
can be summerised as rooflessness, rootlessness and resourcelessness. Relative
extent and consequence of their severity vary from person to person. The major causes
that lead to these consequences are mainly poverty, natural disasters and forced
eviction. Homeless population is not homogeneous in terms of physical, social and
economic consequences. The nature of residential circumstances differentiates
homeless people; the consequences of sleeping situations at night of homeless people
differ in terms of age (i.e. adults and children), gender and social units (individual and
houseless). Three types homelessness may be observed depending on residential
circumstances and consequences;
(1) Floating homelessness – It is the most visible type that is based on the physical
criterion of rooflessness, referring to the situation where people live in streets or
other public places without a permanent shelter of their own. They are often
called pavement dwellers or destitute or shelterless or houseless, the common
characteristics being their floating status for day to day survival.

(2) Situated homelessness – From a physical perspective, residential circumstances

of this type are situated at a particular space and under a given shelter.
Squatters living illegally on public land have been the major contributors to this
type of homelessness. The shelter they live in, does not conform to the notion of
adequate shelter despite their owing or renting a shelter in illegal land. From a
social perspective, absence of an identity as a participating member in all
spheres of society constitute the basis of homelessness for groups like
abandoned children and orphans, housemaids and child servants, trafficked
women and children etc.
(3) Potential homelessness – Individuals or houseless at risk of becoming homeless
include people living in slums, especially those who are in shared
accommodation (stranded refugees living in camps), single female workers
(house maids staying at employer’s place), children working in roadside eateries
etc. People who are below or just above poverty line are also potential homeless
due to their vulnerability to eviction, loss of jobs without notice and other social
and natural causes.
The census definitions of homeless person in all countries are based on physical
attributes only – the most visible floating homeless ness i.e. without a roof over head. In
India, people are eligible for support under housing programs if they do not have a roof
or land. However, if a household has a plot in a regularised area, but only a shack upon
it, it is not regarded as homeless because of the land holding.
The fundamental problem of development may be expressed through the missing link
between planning and practice – that might actually be exacerbating houselessness
rather than addressing it. There are often mismatch between the needs and
expectations of the residents of informal settlements, and the solutions that government,
development agencies and planners propose for them. The common buzzwords like
consultation, participation and community involvement generally remain out of context as
decisions are taken without actual involvement of the affected communities with diverse
problems of homelessness.

1.2 Shelterless in India

The Census of India defines the shelterless as houseless, who does not have a roof
over his head. A glimpse at last five censuses reveals that rural houseless households
have declined steadily in number while in urban areas; the situation has almost
remained the same (Table 1.1). However, houseless population has increased in both
rural and urban areas, the increase being sharper in the later. This indicates the
possibility of increase in the number of single houseless persons. In urban areas,
persons come in search of employment leaving their family behind. Houseless persons
in rural area not always signify deprivation as a significant proportion of them have left
house for various socio-cultural reasons. There are some people of moving profession
(Banjara etc.) who do not live in permanent place by choice. In contrast, urban
houselessness is largely an indicator of deprivation. People migrate to urban areas in
search of job and cannot find residence within their affordability.

Table 1.1: Houseless Households and Houseless Population in India

(In lakh)

Year Houseless Households Houseless Population

 Total Rural Urban Total Rural Urban

1961 12.65 9.70 1.95

1971 5.65 3.88 1.77 19.86 15.20 4.66

1981 6.16 4.13 2.03 23.43 17.24 6.19

1991 5.22 3.05 2.17 20.07 12.82 7.25

2001 4.48 2.60 1.88 19.44 11.65 7.89

Source: Census of India, various years.

Tenth plan document reveals that, whereas 56.4 per cent of rural and 49 per cent of
urban population were poor in 1973-74, in 1999-00, these came down to 27.1 and 23.6
per cent respectively. The rural poor population, however, dropped from 261.3 million to
193.2 million during this period while the number of urban poor rose from 60 million to 67
million, despite being lower in percentage term. This highlights the rapid rise in the
migration of the rural poor to urban locations. More over, the institutional and legal
framework in urban areas create serious bottleneck in the poor’s search for shelter and
employment. The rural poor is an integral part of the village while it is difficult for the
urban poor to find a legitimate place in the city, thereby making the nature of deprivation
more complex. Needless to add that the shelterless bears the most severe brunt of this
situation.

1.3 Definition and Number of Shelterless Persons

There is significant ambiguity regarding the size of shelterless persons in the national
capital. The Census of India uses the notion of houseless population for persons who
are not living in census houses and are located and enumerated from places such as the
roadside pavements, in Hume pipes, under staircases, or in the open platforms, religious
places etc. The international definition for homeless households mentioned in UN Global
Shelter Strategy, 1988, refers to “households without a shelter that would fall within the
scope of living quarters. They carry their few possessions with them while sleeping in the
streets, in doorways or parks, or in any other space on a more or less random basis”. In
short, a homeless person carries implications of belonging nowhere rather than simply
having nowhere to sleep.
Delhi presents a unique contradiction in living standard. Census of India, Delhi (2001)
reports 33.8 lakh houses and 25.5 lakh households covering a population of 137.8 lakh.
It shows number of total houses exceeds the number of households by 8.3 lakh units.
Further break-up shows 30 lakh occupied houses and 3.8 lakh vacant houses. On the
other hand, the number of houseless population in urban Delhi increased from 18,838 in
1991 to 23,903 in 2001, a decadal increase of 26.89 per cent, i.e. an annual increase of
2.68 per cent.

Delhi Human Development Report (2006) on the other hand, observes, “Although data
on households without shelter are sparse and scattered, estimates suggest that between
50,000 to 70,000 are homeless”. Some unofficial estimates carry this figure to nearly
100,000. The houseless population of Delhi consists of rickshaw pullers, cart pullers, rag
pickers, shoe shine boys, cycle repair persons, coolies, construction labourers, and the
like, majority of them being workers in the informal sector. Some of them sleep in their
work places. They are not counted as houseless persons as they have roofs over their
head though they do not have houses. Besides, there are persons who share the shelter
space with others, as they cannot afford a shelter of their own. There are others who live
under the threat of eviction on expiration of the lease, with no prospects for alternative
housing. They are at the risk of being houseless and form part of concealed houseless
ness, which is very difficult to enumerate. These difficulties lead to under estimation
regarding number of shelter less persons and the depth of their deprivation in the
capital.

People living in substandard houses may also be included in houseless category. The
census divides the conditions of dwelling units in two categories; one based on
perception and the other on the quality of material used. According to the first, the
housing stock is categorised as good, livable and dilapidated. The second classification
is permanent, semi-permanent and temporary. In Delhi, 58 per cent of the households
live in good houses and 5 per cent of them live in dilapidated houses. As per the quality
of material used, 92 per cent of houses are made of permanent materials while 3.5 per
cent of them use temporary material. People use such material in order to escape the
conditions of houselessness. Households with insecure income are likely to live in such
housing units. They are not counted as houseless but have all the possibilities of being
potential homeless.
An important characteristic of homelessness is that it is typically a temporary
circumstance, not a permanent condition, which is why it has neither a clear or
consistent definition, nor a precise method of measurement. Typically, houselessness
applies to a person without a roof. Even in the most developed countries, governments
only systematically collect statistics on these homeless persons who have applied to
local authorities for help, usually families with children and others deemed to be
especially vulnerable. These statistics often do not include overall figures on the number
of single homeless persons.

A more appropriate measure, therefore, is the number of persons who experience

houselessness over a period of time, indicating symptom of long-run deprivation.
Studies on urban poverty in India have thrown light on collective and multi dimensional
characteristics of urban poor, bearing strong similarity with other developing countries.
These studies show that the urban poor do not necessarily live in slums and squatters;
they are not all migrants; they are not all unemployed and they do not all work in the
informal sector. However, rarely these studies have focused on the shelterless in urban
areas, forming the poorest of the urban poor in terms of deprivation.

1.4 Census Coverage of Houseless Persons in Delhi

Houseless population, though significant in absolute number, covers less than one per
cent of total population both at the national and state level (Table 1.2). Rural houseless
is much less in proportion than urban houseless indicating that the problem of
houselessness is generally an urban phenomenon. The number of houseless persons in
urban Delhi is much more than the rural figure as Delhi is largely urban. The reverse is
true in distribution of houseless population for India. Delhi accounts for 1.28 per cent of
total houseless population in India while its share in total population is 1.34 per cent. In
absolute terms, houseless population in the country is equivalent to one class I city
while, in Delhi, it is the size of one class III town.
Table 1.2: Houseless Population – 2001 Comparative Scenario
Rural Urban Total
India
Houseless Population 1,165,167 778,599 1,943,766
(0.15%) (0.27%) (0.18%)
Total Population 742490639 286119689 1,028,610,328
(100%) (100%) (100%)
Delhi
Houseless Population 1,063 23,903 24,966
(0.11%) (0.19%) (0.18)
Total Population 944727 12,905,780 13850507
(100%) (100%) (100%)
Source: Primary Census Abstract, Census of India, 2001 Table A-5
Houseless population declined in number from 1981 to 1991 but increased again during
2001 in Delhi (Table 1.3). However, it is showing continuous proportionate decline in
relation to total population. This can be explained to some extent by the slowly declining
migration rate. Migrations from the prosperous neighbours like Punjab and Haryana
have declined considerably to bring down the proportion to less than one percent. The
newly developed areas in the National Capital Region have also contributed to decline of
migration from these states. On the other hand, recent policies of industrial relocation
and eviction have contributed to the rise of number of the shelterless in absolute terms in
recent years. Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has slowed down its activities of
resettlement while continuing the squatter removal programs following the Supreme
Court order. This has resulted in the increase in the number of the shelterless.

Table 1.3: Houseless Population in Urban Delhi (1981-2001)

Category 1981 1991 2001
Houseless Population 22516 18838 23903
Total Population 6048149 9152833 12819761
Houseless population as a % of total population 0.37 0.21 0.19
Source: Primary Census Abstracts of Delhi: 1981, 1991, 2001

1.5 Concern for Shelterless in Delhi Master Plan - 2021

Probably it is because of the insignificant proportion of shelterless in total population that
the city planners and managers have not paid any attention to them for a long time. It did
not find adequate mention in the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) that has entered in its third
phase. The latest Master Plan, i.e., MPD-2021 expresses concerns regarding access to
residential and commercial lands to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Lower
Income Groups (LIG) as well as small and micro enterprises both in the formal and
informal sector. It recognizes that the informal sector is the major source of employment
in the economic fabric of the city. It has proposed to earmark ‘hawking’ and ‘no hawking’
zones at neighborhood and cluster level. It provides guidelines for identifying areas of
informal trade like weekly markets spread all over Delhi and providing necessary
facilities to them. It also proposes to institutionalize design of stalls, push carts and
mobile vans. All these are welcome steps to handle the locational problems of informal
workers, accommodating majority of the shelterless persons. However, it talks little of
earmarking space for their accommodation. It is the pace and nature of implementation
that has blocked the efforts of earlier Master Plans towards better land use. The latest
Master Plan has taken a deeper look into the problems of the deprived sector, but spatial
approach need to be matched with economic incentives for successful implementation.
The shelterless, need not only a place to stay but minimum living facilities as well.

Their number is quite significant in magnitude as well as regarding duration of stay.

Many of them do not see any change in their status for last 20-25 years. They have
come to city primarily in search of jobs but continue to stay as shelterless while sending
the remittance back to the native place in order to build a secure future there. They
cannot afford a shelter of their own in the city with their meager savings. They do not
have any worthwhile assets, required to submit as proof of belonging. Consequently,
they are unable to make any claim on tangible city assets and remain floating in nature
though they share the same footpath year after year, with perpetual threat of being
driven away from their sleeping place from time to time. Their existence is characterized
by this foot loose nature, thereby making their problems more complicated.

The new Master Plan recognizes the need for providing more night shelters. These are
proposed to be provided in crowded public places like the railway terminals, bus
terminals, wholesale markets etc., many of them being also major work centers for the
shelterless. Special provisions should be made for the more vulnerable section like
women and children including the disabled, orphans and the aged.

In addition, multi -purpose use of the existing facility buildings are proposed to be
allowed for night shelter purpose. Provision should also be made for connecting existing
building, wherever available, with suitable modifications into night shelters. It proposes to
earmark at least 25 sites for night shelters on the basis of 2001 census of houseless
population. In order to make the provision of this facility financially sustainable for the
local body, the MPD-2021 suggests exploring innovative concepts like integrated
complex with commercial space on the ground floor and night shelters on the first floor,
towards developing self-sustaining night shelters. The norm to be followed is one night
shelter for 1 lakh population on the basis of the existing ratio between the houseless and
total population, (1:0.19) in urban areas.

1.6 Need for the Survey

The definitions, size and composition of the shelterless in the capital is significantly
heterogeneous. It is difficult to get a clear picture of the volume and nature of the
problem and to estimate the extent of deprivation. Field studies generally refer to some
specific areas and focus on specific groups. The Census carries on head count survey
once in ten years. The number of shelterless is counted on a single night thereby failing
to capture the volume in its entirety. There are some unpublished city specific reports,
focusing on certain areas of vulnerability of the shelterless, i.e. the survey by the Delhi
Development Authority (DDA) on children in night shelters (1985). Aashray Adhilkar
Abhiyan (AAA) has carried a rapid assessment survey in 2000, with a headcount spread
over the whole Delhi in ten days and interview with 690 persons. It gave detailed
accounts of the existing night shelters and provided important insights regarding
occupations, socio-economic background and living environment of the shelterless. The
study counted close to 53000 shelterless persons in the capital and made an
assumption that for each person counted, there is one missing and concluded that the
number of shelterless persons is close to 1, 00,000.
In this background, it was felt that a more rigorous survey is required to be able to
estimate the size of shelterless persons, to take a deeper look into their activities and to
make projections for next 5 to 10 years in order to evolve an inclusive policy framework
to tackle with the problem. Such a study is imperative to understand the intricacies of the
urbanization process in an ever-expanding city.

1.7 Objective

The objectives of the proposed survey are spelt out as follows:

• To specify, to the best of ability, the number of homeless persons through

headcount.
• To analyse their socio-economic background in terms of original residence,
earning, education, nature of job, number of family members, duration of stay as
homeless etc.
• To look into nature and causes of homelessness
• To describe their awareness level of shelter options and the willingness to
accept such options
• To project homelessness for a period of 5-10 years.

1.8 Methodology

The survey has been conducted in two stages (a) total head count spread over all the
nine districts of Delhi and (b) a sample survey of 2000 persons based on more detailed
questionnaire.

(A) Head count survey

In the head count survey, following steps have been taken:

1. Identifying the areas in each district where the homeless population sleep. It
required assistance from local NGOs, RWAs, District administration and the
police. As the survey was conducted at night, the security concern was very
important. The Joint Commissioners of Police issued letters to the area police
stations under their respective jurisdictions directing them to provide the help
required.
2. District maps were collected from the district administrators locating the areas of
concentration of houseless persons.
 3. IHD provided two – day training to the field investigators regarding the nature of
jobs and familiarity with the local people before the survey.
4. We established networking with the concerned agencies to map out the areas
where the homeless persons sleep in various parts of the city and to ascertain
the timings of their availability.

5. The headcount survey was conducted every night between February 12 and
March 14 with the help of 15 investigators during 8.30 pm and 1.30 am.
Shelterless persons are largely day time workers. They come back to have their
food at night and settle down by 9.00 p.m. Some of them have odd working
hours. The fellow settlers provided information regarding them. It was not
advisable to stay beyond 1.30 am as all the necessary information could be
collected by then.

6. The census data for last three decades have shown that the number of
houseless population in urban areas has slowly increased in the country while it
fluctuated in Delhi. Our headcount has shown that houseless population has
been more than double the census estimate. We have calculated annual growth
rates on the basis of these estimates. Sample survey has provided the data
related to duration of stay as houseless. This has helped in forming a growth
pattern of the shelterless. Projections for shelterless persons for the next 5 to 10
years have been made based on this trend.

Three procedures were adopted in this survey.

(a) Questionnaire

Two types of questionnaire were prepared for two stage survey.

(i) Data Sheet – this was prepared for every shelterless person to generate
database on the areas where they stay, age –sex composition, religious affinity,
marital and education status, occupation, state of origin, reasons for leaving
home, duration of stay and change of sleeping place in a year.
(ii) A more detailed three page questionnaire was prepared for sample survey of
2000 persons. This has provided database for their personal information, socio-
economic status, family status, migration status, identification documents,
frequency of visiting native place, income earned and remittance sent back,
health benefits, sanitation aspects and assistance received.

(b) Focussed Group Discussion (FGD)

This was held with the NGOs working with the shelterless, those shelterless who were
not included in detailed survey and other persons who lived in these areas, shared more
or less the same occupations, but they themselves were not shelterless. It was held in
every district. This helped in cross-checking the data and generating multi-dimensional
insights into their problems. People staying in night shelters were also included in
FGDs in order to generate wider perceptions. Discussions generally centred round the
following themes- why people are shelterless, how do they manage their livelihood, what
are there perceptions regarding future and what are the inadequacies in assistance
provided to them.

(c) Interview

Detailed personal interviews were held with the Joint

Commissioners , Deputy Commissioners of Police in each district as well as the civilian
administrators, i.e. the District Commissioners. Station House Officers (SHO) and the
Beat constables were also interviewed in the areas with high concentration of shelterless
persons. Police comes into direct contact with them every night and the shelterless often
complains of harassment. It was necessary to hear both the groups in order to
understand the problems in depth.

(b) Sample Survey

The sample survey consisted of a detailed formulation of questionnaire commensurate
with the objectives of the survey. A very simple questionnaire was prepared keeping in
mind the potential respondents and their language. The objective was to collect
information regarding income, language spoken, occupation, willingness to go to a night
shelter, type of problem faced and assistance expected etc.

Choice of Sample Size

The number 2000 was chosen arbitrarily in order to generate a critical mass that was
possible to cover within the short time provided. This was distributed over all the nine
districts proportionately to the concentration of shelterless in each district.

Coverage

We tried to follow the essence of census definition of a homeless person with a little
modification: -a person without any private roof over his or her head. Sometimes, the
shelterless tries to cover some area with materials like plastic and other non-permanent
stuff. There are people who sleep in the public structures like the railway stations,
market buildings, in the courtyard of private houses etc. They have been counted as
shelterless. We have not included the construction workers who are tied with specific
contractors. They also live in plastic-like non-permanent structures but they move on
with the contractors. However, the labourers among the shelterless, not tied to specific
contractors have been covered. These labourers line up daily for jobs in particular places
that may be called the human market. We have not included the persons staying in the
permanent night shelters though the persons staying in the temporary night shelters
have been included. The former category has been included in the FGD in order to learn
more about them. Domestic helps staying in the employers’ places have not been
included though they may be classified as potential shelterless.

Survey Period

The head count survey was completed in one month. The FGDs were over in 10 days. A
5-day pilot survey was conducted prelude to the main survey in order to be familiar with
the process. Sample survey was carried on within the same month involving different
groups of investigators. The whole study was over within six months.

1.9 Limitations of the Survey

The survey tried to count the number of the shelterless spread all over Delhi. We chose
the period between mid-February and mid-March for primary survey. This period
chosen reflected the end of winter. The climate was also helpful as it is the absolutely
shelterless who will sleep in the open during this time. During summer, people like to
sleep outside their residence with the possibilities of overestimating the number of the
shelterless.

However, our estimates may not escape the possibility of underestimation as some
persons do visit their native places anytime during the year. We tried to minimize the
error by asking such questions about them who left to the fellow pavement dwellers, the
police and the NGOs concerned. There are many lanes and by-lanes where lone
shelterless may be sleeping who have escaped our attention. Finally, some persons
sleep on the rooftop of the factories or inside the shops in which they are working. They
may bring other aquantaints also. We have not counted them. We have also excluded
the inmates of the functional permanent night shelters. The survey figures, therefore,
may be underestimated to the extent of 10 to 15 per cent on these counts. We have not
estimated the potential shelterless also, whose number would be indicative of the full
magnitude of the shelterless. We tried to minimize the limitations of censes estimates by
increasing the counting period from one day to one month in order to capture as
many of them as possible.

The report is structured in the following way:

1. Chapter I provides the introductory background of the study.

2. Chapter II summarizes the major findings from the headcount survey highlighting
their locational concentration, migration aspect, socio-cultural profile, age
distribution, level of education and occupational pattern.
3. Chapter III focuses on women, children and the elderly; the most vulnerable
components among the shelterless.
4. We have undertaken more in-depth survey of 1997 persons in order to
understand their livelihood, health and sanitation practices, supports to family,
 their monthly income, expenditure, major risks in living a life of shelterless and
future perspectives. These findings are summarized in chapter IV.
5. We have excluded persons living in the permanent might shelters from an
headcount survey. However, persons living in temporary night shelters are
included. We have conducted FGDs with the persons living in permanent night
shelters in order to understand their problems and priorities. The scheme of Night
Shelters is the only welfare programme available to the shelterless as they do not
possess the necessary documents to be eligible for other programmes meant for
the poor. Chapter V describes the results of such analysis.
6. Conclusions and recommendations are summarized in chapter VI.
 Chapter II

PROFILE OF THE SHELTERLESS

Shelterless persons are scattered all over Delhi in different numbers. They have no
stable address by definition, do not generally appear on any voting list and they do
not want to maintain any contact with representatives of the state for fear of negative
impact as they are generally rendered illegal by law. They concentrate mainly on the
public places like temples, from where they are not thrown out, or in the railway
stations, rooftops of their work places, markets and so on. These places are,
however, too inadequate compared to their numbers. Hence, open streets and foot
paths are their last resorts to sleep for a few hours.

The head count survey reveals that there are a total of 46788 shelterless
persons in Delhi, with 39465 (84.35 per cent) men and 7323 (15.65 per cent)
women (Table 2.1).

Table 2.1: District wise Distribution of Shelter less Persons in Delhi

District Male Female Total

N % N % N %
Central 4528 11.47 897 12.25 5425 11.59
East 2955 7.49 826 11.28 3781 8.08
New Delhi 1317 3.34 330 4.51 1647 3.52
North 6145 15.57 1160 15.84 7305 15.61
North East 3623 9.18 784 10.71 4407 9.42
North West 7318 18.54 1117 15.25 8435 18.03
South 7290 18.47 1335 18.23 8625 18.43
South West 1854 4.70 238 3.25 2092 4.47
West 4435 11.24 636 8.68 5071 10.84
Total 39465 84.35 7323 15.65 46788 100.00

Figure 1: Male -Female Distribution (%)-Districtwise

100 89 87
83 84 87 85 84
90 80 82
78
80
70
60 Male
50 Female
40
30 22 20
17 16 18 15 16
20 13 11 13
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2.1 Locational Concentration

Maximum concentration of these persons is observed in South district (8625), followed

by North-West (8435). New Delhi district shows the minimum number of shelterless
persons as they are generally not allowed to sleep in the open. This district
accommodates the government and foreign residents with the offices and the residential
areas. The reserved area for diplomatic affairs, the vast open spaces and spacious
bunglows of political, administrative and social heavyweights represent the face of
national capital with little trace of the shelter less. They concentrate on the religious
places like Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Hanuman Mandir or the market places like the
Connaught Place, Gole Market etc. that provide enough open space to sleep as well as
to work. There are several religious and market places in South district also to provide
enough public places for the shelterless to sleep. The North West district shows the
second most concentration of shelterless persons. It has the biggest wholesale market in
India, the Azadpur Mandi that offers manual job of loader to the poor migrants. These
two districts together account for more than one third of total shelter less in the capital.
North, West and Central districts account for another one third of total shelterless in
Delhi. Central district is large trading area while industries are concentrated in North and
West districts besides North- West. North district accommodates Delhi University and
other institutes that offer occupations to domestic maids, rag pickers etc. besides the
usual labourers and transporters like rickshaw pullers. The rest one-third of the total
shelterless is distributed among the other four districts (Table 2.1). Figure 1 shows male-
dominated shelteless in all districts. It is quite natural as the shelterless generally leave
their family behind.

A comparison with the census figures shows interesting locational deviation apart from
increase in absolute numbers. IHD survey shows the number of shelterless persons as
almost double the census estimates. This difference indicates possible under-estimation
related to census methodology as explained earlier. The table shows significant change
in locational distribution of the shelterless. Census figurers show maximum
concentration of shelterless persons in two districts i.e., North and Central whereas IHD
survey shows the concentration has shifted to South and North –West. In general,
however, it shows more even distribution of poverty. The shelterless has increased in
number in all the districts except in Central and North, where the numbers almost
remained the same with a little alteration. The comparatively richer South district now
accommodates the highest number of shelterless persons
 Will there ever be any roof over our head?

This may partly be explained by the increase in the number of temples in this district
that provides space to them. The increasing construction and entertainment activities in
this district also have attracted job seekers. Industrial relocation in North-West district
may account, to a certain extent, for concentration of more shelterless here. However, it
is a cause of concern that increasing prosperity of Delhi has been associated with more
uniform distribution of poverty. Even in New Delhi, where the shelterless is strictly not
allowed in many areas, their number has more than doubled (Table 2.2).

2.2 Migration

The national capital draws people from all over India, in all income groups. The
economically better- off come to Delhi with better job offer and gradually settle down in
the city. Economically poorer, to a large extent, tries to keep strong linkage with native
place, builds assets there with the hope to go back when he is not capable to work any
more. The shelterless shows this tendency very strongly and cherishes the desire to go
back among his own people one day, though many of them can not fulfill this dream and
end up being permanent pavement dwellers. Uttar Pradesh sends the maximum number
of shelterless persons in Delhi, followed by Bihar. These two states, taken together,
account for about 69 per cent of total shelterless. Madhya Pradesh sends a little over
10 per cent of shelterless migrants to Delhi while Rajasthan’s share is almost 7 per cent.
It should be remembered that we have not included the construction workers brought
regularly by contractors under specific contracts.

Table 2.2: District wise Distribution of Houseless Population in urban Delhi-

Census and IHD Survey
Census (2001) IHD Survey (2007)
Districts Total Houseless Houseless Percentage
Population Population Population
(No.) (No.) (No.)
North West 2595506 (20.11) 2536 (10.60) 8435 18.03
North 734940 (5.69) 7059 (29.53) 7305 15.61
North East 1626514 (12.60) 903 (3.77) 4407 9.42
East 1445360 (11.19) 835 (3.49) 3781 8.08
New Delhi 179112 (1.38 709 (2.96) 1647 3.52
Central 646385 (5.01) 5676 (23.74) 5425 11.59
West 2042114 (14.82) 1985 (8.30) 5071 10.84
South West 1529587 (11.85) 1524 (6.37) 2092 4.47
South 2106262 (16.32) 2676 (11.19) 8625 18.43
Urban Delhi 12905780 (100) 23903 (100) 46788 100
Source: Primary Census Abstract of Delhi, 2001 and IHD Primary Headcount Survey, 2007
Note: Figures in bracket show percentage to respective column total.

A significant proportion of such construction workers come to the capital from Rajasthan.
In the present study, migration from Rajasthan shows lower percentage as these
laborers are excluded. The shelterless migrants from West Bengal show a little lower
percentage than Rajasthan. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal account for
nearly 24 per cent of the total migrants. Share of other states excluding the five
mentioned above, is less than 8 per cent. It is quite possible that migrants from
Bangladesh are also included in West Bengal state because of same language. The
name of areas like Dhaka Colony in North West district suggests their presence but
cannot be conclusively said as they possess no legal papers.

Comparatively richer states send very little poor migrants to Delhi. The states of Gujarat,
Maharastra, Punjab and Haryana together account for 1.45 percent of total shelterless
migrants. The three newly formed states together also send less than one per cent
migrants even though their three bigger neighbours together have huge contribution to
the flow of poor migrants (Figure 2). Shelterless migrants are spread all over Delhi, with
major concentration being observed in South, North West, Central and West districts,
each accounting for more than 16 per cent of total migrants. Interestingly, residents of
Delhi account for only 1.51 per cent of total shelterless, indicating the strong possibility
of long term residents to come out of poverty line and homelessness (Annexure I).

Figure 2: Migration (%) from Major States

8.11
6.22
30.92

37.49
10.19
7.07

Blhar MP Rajasthan UP WB Others

2.2a Reasons for Migration

The migrant shelterless almost uniformly cite the single most reason for migration as job
prospects near their native place. Delhi offers maximum employment opportunity in
variety of jobs that are not available else where. It is primarily the pull factor of the
national capital that attracts people to this unknown city leaving their families behind.
Some of the shelterless have left their native land in the expectation of getting better
pays. Even if the jobs are available in their states, they will not be as rewarding in terms
of income. They are prepared to compromise on living environment in order to earn
more. Many of the shelterless have decided to come to Delhi as they know some body
here. Some persons from their community have come here to try their luck and gradually
they have brought other members. Living among the same community brings some
sense of social security. This is reflected in the names of some of the localities, i.e.
Harijan Basti, Dhaka Colony, Rajasthani Camp, Madrasi Camp etc. The residents of
these communities are not all shelterless. The shelterless tries to find a sleeping place
in these colonies with a sense of bondage and security in otherwise unknown place and
unknown working environment. This also helps the migrants in keeping their
belongings and money to the persons known to them and creates the base for informal
savings (Table 2.3).
 Table 2.3 : District wise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Reasons of Migration

District Reason
Better Job Better PayNear to Knew Others Total
Residence Somebody
N % N % N % N % N % N %
Central 45 6.91 568 13.15 4373 11.51 437 11.51 2 9.09 5425 11.59
East 114 17.51 360 8.33 2935 7.72 370 9.74 2 9.09 3781 8.08
New Delhi 27 4.15 198 4.58 1258 3.31 164 4.32 0 0.00 1647 3.52
North 101 15.51 676 15.65 5992 15.77 532 14.01 4 18.18 7305 15.61
North East 109 16.74 296 6.85 3582 9.43 419 11.04 1 4.55 4407 9.42
North West 107 16.44 701 16.23 6897 18.15 724 19.07 6 27.27 8435 18.03
South 70 10.75 834 19.31 7187 18.91 528 13.91 6 27.27 8625 18.43
South West 25 3.84 277 6.41 1574 4.14 216 5.69 0 0.00 2092 4.47
West 53 8.14 410 9.49 4200 11.05 407 10.72 1 4.55 5071 10.84
Total 651 1.39 4320 9.23 37998 81.21 3797 8.12 22 0.05 46788 100

People coming in search for better job have spread all over Delhi. Majority of them have
made it on their own and here they have found their own community. Proportion of
persons coming here for better pay is close to 10 per cent. New Delhi, North, North West
and North East districts accommodate such persons, while people who come with some
body staying here already, are largely concentrated in the North West and South
districts. This familiarity is spread in all kinds of occupations. However, the strongest pull
factor remains finding job near to residence, that attracts mostly persons from UP and
Bihar.

2.3 Socio-Cultural Profile

The shelterless in the capital come from different socio- cultural background with
heterogeneous characteristics. It is astonishing to learn the variety of livelihoods they
adopt in their struggle for survival. However, poverty and rootlessness in the city remain
two most common elements reflecting their conditions.

2.3a Caste Profile

The central government publishes the list of Other Backward Castes (OBC) for the
states. The head count survey of the shelterless shows that OBCs have maximum
share (about 45 per cent) of total shelterless in Delhi, share of the Scheduled Castes
(SC) being second (34.05). STs form nearly 10 percent of the total. OBCs and SCs
together form approximately 78 per cent of total shelterless indicating the extent of
deprivation among lower castes (Figure 3). it shows the hollowness of reserving high
value education and jobs for the deprived without analyzing how many of them can
reach that level.

North West and South districts showing maximum concentration of shelterless also
show maximum percentage of OBCs and SCs (Table 2.4).

Table 2.4: District wise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Social Group

District OBC SC ST Others Total
N % N % N % N % N %
Central 2444 11.76 1867 11.72 494 10.81 620 11.27 5425 11.59
East 1438 6.92 1320 8.29 516 11.29 507 9.22 3781 8.08
New Delhi 845 4.06 497 3.12 178 3.89 127 2.31 1647 3.52
North 3316 15.95 2500 15.69 761 16.65 728 13.24 7305 15.61
North East 1696 8.16 1551 9.74 479 10.48 681 12.38 4407 9.42
North West 4319 20.77 2706 16.99 583 12.76 827 15.04 8435 18.03
South 3633 17.47 2764 17.35 937 20.50 1291 23.48 8625 18.43
South West 857 4.12 780 4.90 186 4.07 269 4.89 2092 4.47
West 2242 10.78 1944 12.20 436 9.54 449 8.17 5071 10.84
Total 20790 44.43 15929 34.05 4570 9.77 5499 11.75 46788 100.00

Figure 3: Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Social Group

12%
10%
44%

34%

OBC SC ST Others

2.3b Religion

Hindus naturally form the majority of the shelterless (Figure 4) followed by the Muslims.
Christians and Sikhs form less than one per cent of total. North, Central and North-West
districts show concentration of shelterless Sikhs and Christians while maximum Muslim
shelterless is found in the South district. (Table 2.5).
 Figure 4: Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Religion

0%
12% 1%

87%

Hindu Muslim Christian Sikhs

Table 2.5: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Religion

District Hindu Muslim Christian Sikhs Total

N % N % N % N % N %
Central 4688 11.51 654 11.46 22 25.00 61 23.11 5425 11.59
East 3322 8.16 449 7.86 5 5.68 5 1.89 3781 8.08
New Delhi 1406 3.45 219 3.84 0 0.00 22 8.33 1647 3.52
North 6483 15.92 740 12.96 22 25.00 60 22.73 7305 15.61
North East 3699 9.08 708 12.40 0 0.00 0 0.00 4407 9.42
North West 7559 18.56 777 13.61 19 21.59 80 30.30 8435 18.03
South 7233 17.76 1363 23.87 14 15.91 15 5.68 8625 18.43
South West 1765 4.33 304 5.32 4 4.55 19 7.20 2092 4.47
West 4572 11.23 495 8.67 2 2.27 2 0.76 5071 10.84
Total 40727 87.05 5709 12.20 88 0.19 264 0.56 46788 100.00

Figure 5: Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Marital Status

17.41 0.15
0.08

82.36

Married Unmarried Widow /Widow er Divorced/Separated

2.3c Marital Status

Majority of the shelterless are married and have left their families in the native places.
There are more than 8000 unmarried persons forming a little over 17 per cent. Widow/
widowers form less than one percent of the total (Figure 5). Some of them have also
faced social and legal problems like divorce and separation though their percentage is
least. Aged widows are driven out of families to spend the rest of life as shelterless.
Many of them are forced into beggary as no alternatives are open to them. Welfare
schemes focusing on skill training may help them to come out of such misery. North
West and South districts accommodating the majority of the shelterless also shows all
their social characteristics (Table 2.6).

Table 2.6: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Marital Status

District Married Unmarried Widow/ Divorced/ Total
Widower Separated
N % N % N % N % N %
Central 4539 11.78 874 10.73 5 7.25 7 17.95 5425 11.59
East 2808 7.29 968 11.88 5 7.25 0 0.00 3781 8.08
New Delhi 1302 3.38 330 4.05 0 0.00 15 38.46 1647 3.52
North 6003 15.58 1279 15.70 17 24.64 6 15.38 7305 15.61
North East 3515 9.12 880 10.80 10 14.49 2 5.13 4407 9.42
North West 7062 18.33 1355 16.63 11 15.94 7 17.95 8435 18.03
South 7310 18.97 1294 15.89 19 27.54 2 5.13 8625 18.43
South West 1715 4.45 377 4.63 0 0.00 0 0.00 2092 4.47
West 4280 11.11 789 9.69 2 2.90 0 0.00 5071 10.84
Total 38534 82.36 8146 17.41 69 0.15 39 0.08 46788 100.00

2.4 Age –group Distribution

The shelterless comes to the city primarily in search of job. Hence, naturally, the working
age group will dominate the age profile. The survey shows that the two most vulnerable
groups i.e., the children and the elderly also are forced to spend their lives in the open
under extreme conditions.

There are 375 children below 5 years of age forming less than one per cent of total
shelterless in the capital. They are exposed to all types of disease with very little
resistance power.
The aged population (60 year and above) form almost 3 per cent of total shelterless in
the capital. They are in need of special medical care besides other necessities. Many of
them have spent almost whole of their lives in the street.

Persons in the working age group constitute more than 90 per cent of the shelterless,
contributing significantly to the total labour force. Children between 11 and 14 years
(3.16 percent of total shelterless population) also contribute to the labour force as many
of them are employed in the informal sector despite being prevented under law. The
vulnerable groups like small children and the old are however, significant in number
requiring urgent policy interventions. Their relatively small proportion in total population
is explained to a large extent by the fact that the shelterless is generally single male.
However, relatively smaller proportion of children below 5 years compared to those
above 60 may also indicate high child mortality rate. (Figure 6).

Figure 6:Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Age-group

1% 3%
3% 3%

90%

0-4 5-10 11-14 15-59 60 & Above

East district accounts for maximum number of children below 5 while the persons above
60 are found mostly in the South district. Population in the working age group constitutes
84 to 92 per cent of the total, distributed more or less uniformly in the districts. South
and North districts display maximum concentration of children between 11 to 14 years
indicating the possibility of significant employment of children in these areas. This also
indicate another acute social problem; adolescent girls roaming in the streets and
exposing themselves to sexual harassment. We will take up this issue in the next
chapter. Children below 11 years also work in some occupations like domestic help and
helpers in small stalls. Figures for locational concentration indicate the need for area-
specific policy intervention rather than general welfare schemes spread uniformly all
over the capital (Table 2.7).

Table 2.7: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Age-group

District 0-4 5-10 11-14 15-59 60 & Above Total

N % N % N % N % N % N %
Central 27 7.56 179 12.35 144 9.73 4891 11.58 184 14.49 5425 11.59
East 89 24.93 226 15.60 172 11.62 3182 7.53 112 8.82 3781 8.08
New Delhi 3 0.84 74 5.11 73 4.93 1460 3.46 37 2.91 1647 3.52
North 48 13.45 230 15.87 242 16.35 6621 15.68 164 12.91 7305 15.61
North East 52 14.57 174 12.01 171 11.55 3857 9.13 153 12.05 4407 9.42
North West 57 15.97 174 12.01 167 11.28 7838 18.56 199 15.67 8435 18.03
South 47 13.17 230 15.87 271 18.31 7786 18.44 291 22.91 8625 18.43
South West 6 1.68 50 3.45 95 6.42 1905 4.51 36 2.83 2092 4.47
West 28 7.84 112 7.73 145 9.80 4692 11.11 94 7.40 5071 10.84
Total 357 0.76 1449 3.10 1480 3.16 42232 90.26 1270 2.71 46788 100.00

2.5 Occupational Pattern

The shelterless generally works as construction labourer and rickshaw puller. There is
significant number of construction labourers among the women also. However, a large
section of them earn their living as beggars.

The shleterless work seven days a week and 9 to 10 hours a day without any gender
bias. The long working hours reflect the exploitative characteristics of informal economy,
with no formal agreement regarding employment conditions. However, if the labourer
continues to work, be it in a construction site or wayside restaurant or a shop, they are
generally not sacked also. The long working hour is evident in all types of occupations
reflecting unfavourable working conditions. There is hardly any gender discrimination in
exploitation. However in two districts, women report a little longer working hours.

Shelterless workers are generally occupied in one type of employment only. The long
working hours suggest that there is hardly any scope to take up subsidiary employment
activities in order to supplement income. In some occupations like newspaper selling,
children who sell the newspapers in the morning and go to schools in the second shifts
like late afternoons. Similarly, the part time sweepers work for two hours in the morning
and take up other jobs during day or go to schools. Tow shifts in schools have opened
up such opportunities for these children without compromising on family income.
However, the majority of shelterless children as well as adults are engaged in jobs with
long working hours with hardly any possibility of taking other options.
Age-groupwise occupational distribution (Table 2.8) shows that the little children and the
elderly also work in the construction site that gives maximum employment to the
shelterless. Little children (5 to 1o years) take to beggary (9.11%) and work as domestic
workers (3.80%) also. A significant proportion of them are found as self employed, i.e.
mainly the cobblers. Unemployment is maximum in the lowest age group revealing the
terrible truth that as they grow up they will be engulfed by the low paying labour market
without any opportunity of improving their lot. The elderly takes up begging in a
significant way. When they are driven away from the family owing to their aged
conditions, beggary remains the only option available.

Table 2.8: Distribution of the Shelter less by Occupation and Age Group
Occupation 5-10 11-14 15-59 60+ Total N
Rickshaw Puller 9.80 11.55 30.44 24.57 29.04 13482
Construction Labour 46.10 48.65 39.33 34.88 39.72 18442
Coolie and Loader 0.48 0.68 1.41 0.63 1.34 621
Beggar 9.11 9.66 8.19 22.13 8.64 4013
Rag Picker 1.79 7.36 5.25 3.39 5.16 2397
Vegetable, Fruits and Ice Cream sellers 0.76 0.88 0.85 0.31 0.83 386
Domestic Help 3.80 3.11 2.61 1.50 2.64 1224
Self Employed 10.28 10.07 9.69 8.50 9.69 4498
Student 0.97 0.74 0.04 0 0.09 41
Others 0.97 1.35 1.20 2.99 1.25 579
Unemployed 15.94 5.95 0.98 1.10 1.61 748
Total 1449 1480 42232 1270 46431 46431
% 3.12 3.19 90.96 2.74 100.00

On the other hand, persons in the working age group do not from very high percentage
of beggars. Only less than one percent among them are unemployed. In the self-
employed category, there are more children compared to adults.

2.6 Level of Education

Low literacy level among the shelterless accounts significantly for their lack of economic
strength, especially in a city with very high level of average literacy. (Table 2.9).

Table 2.9: Comparative Literacy Level –Average Citizen

and the Shelterless in Delhi

Category Total Male Female

Delhi Average 81.82 87.37 75.00

Shelterless Average 25.82 26.17 23.92

Source: Census of India, 2001 and IHD Survey, 2007.

Average literacy rate of the shelterless is almost one fourth of the city average. Female
literacy is lower than the male literacy as has been observed in city average as well. But
the gap between these two rates are much lower in case of shelterless indicating the
relative non-discriminating impact of general poverty – it robs both men and women of
skill development opportunities.

The head count reveals that approximately three-quarter of the shelterless are illiterate
thereby reducing the possibility of any skill development for improvement of their
wellbeing. Less than a quarter is educated up to primary level, while the percentage of
persons having secondary level of education is only 0.39. There are only nine persons
who are educated up to graduation level and beyond. Even graduate level education has
not been sufficient to help them coming out of shelterlessness (Table 2.10).
Table 2.10: Level of Education of the Shelterless by Age Group

Education 5-10 11-14 15-59 60+ Total N

Illiterate 76.60 69.32 74.29 73.78 74.19 34447
Upto Primary 21.12 28.11 23.07 23.15 23.17 10759
Primary 1.86 2.23 2.23 2.44 2.23 1034
Secondary 0.41 0.34 0.39 0.63 0.39 182
Graduate & Above 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.02 9
Total 1449 1480 42232 1270 46431 46431
% 3.12 3.19 90.96 2.74 100.00

These graduates are scattered over four districts as isolated cases. Generally in each
district, close to seventy per cent of the shelterless are illiterate. In the North East
district, this figure is close to eighty per cent. They have only physical labour to offer as
primary input. This abundance of physical labour force tends to reduce the wage rate in
the informal sector and makes it difficult for the shelterless to came out of poverty line.
Even if some of them have acquired special skill, they are not open to more lucrative
opportunities because of illiteracy.(Table 2.11).
 Table 2.11 : Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Education Level
(6 years and above)

District Illiterate Upto Primary Primary Secondary Graduate & Total

Above
N % N % N % N % N % N %
Central 3929 73.07 1305 24.27 117 2.18 26 0.48 0 0.00 5377 11.62
East 2702 73.95 794 21.73 135 3.69 21 0.57 2 0.05 3654 7.90
New Delhi 1165 70.99 441 26.87 32 1.95 3 0.18 0 0.00 1641 3.55
North 5307 73.33 1733 23.95 154 2.13 40 0.55 3 0.04 7237 15.64
North East 3407 78.56 819 18.88 100 2.31 11 0.25 0 0.00 4337 9.37
North West 6191 74.03 1969 23.54 179 2.14 21 0.25 3 0.04 8363 18.07
South 6359 74.36 2004 23.43 163 1.91 26 0.30 0 0.00 8552 18.48
South West 1441 69.18 569 27.32 60 2.88 13 0.62 0 0.00 2083 4.50
West 3829 76.05 1093 21.71 92 1.83 20 0.40 1 0.02 5035 10.88
Total 34330 74.18 10727 23.18 1032 2.23 181 0.39 9 0.02 46279 100.00

Rickshaw pullers and construction workers are spread in all districts. Even in New Delhi,
where rickshaw pulling is not allowed in many areas, the shelterless assemble to
operate rickshaws, wherever possible. Rickshaws are one of the easiest vehicle to
acquire and it only needs one’s own physical labour to operate it. These vehicles are
available on loan against daily payments and do not require a license to operate.
Majority of the beggars can be seen in South district, one of the richest districts in Delhi.
There are may religious places in this district which offer food and open space to sleep
to the beggars (Table 2.12).
Table 2.12 : Distribution of Occupational Classification (14+)-Total
District
Central East New North North North South South West Total
Occupation
Delhi East West West Total N
Rickshaw Puller 33.36 31.09 22.58 31.86 32.69 27.72 25.13 35.81 35.27 30.27 13169
Construction Labour 33.32 39.13 37.54 39.09 33.47 40.65 42.16 43.48 41.83 39.20 17054
Coolie & Loader 6.36 1.31 0 1.34 0.3 0.82 0.61 0 0.42 1.39 604
Beggar 10.42 1.15 18.84 7.89 6.81 5.25 15.13 3.55 7.69 8.59 3738
Rag Picker 4.89 3.67 5.81 4.58 8.05 5.11 4.82 6.85 4.99 5.20 2262
Vegetable, Fruits and 0.26 0.52 1.07 0.06 0.30 2.40 0.94 0.00 0.65 0.83 362
Ice Cream
Domestic Help 2.29 6.44 1.87 2.83 4.94 2.00 1.45 1.08 1.63 2.58 1123
Self Employed 7.53 12.23 10.82 9.31 10.70 14.32 7.99 6.65 5.58 9.65 4200
Student 0.06 0.12 0.00 0.03 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.04 0.04 16
Others 1.36 3.46 0.33 1.30 1.70 0.80 1.15 1.55 0.29 1.25 545
Unemployed 0.16 0.88 1.14 1.71 0.97 0.92 0.63 0.93 1.61 0.99 429
Total 5075 3294 1497 6785 4010 8037 8077 1941 4786 43502 43502
 Chapter III

WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY

Women, children and the elderly constitute the most vulnerable section of the
shelterless, requiring special intervention. This is not only economic problem but acute
social problems as well. In fronts are exposed to several diseases, leading to high child
mortality. Children constitute the child labour force in the informal sector, leading to
various economic exploitation in terms of long working and low wages and more severe
social exploitation specially related to girls child. Women also are explosed to several
dangers related to health, economic and social including trafficking. The elderly are not
capable of manual work in the fag end of their life, neither they are able to depend on
anybody. This leads to severe mental depression apart from other health related
concerns. The head count survey elaborates on some such major social and economic
concerns with long term implications for framing any inclusive growth policies.

3.1 Demographic Characteristics

As has been observed before, women constitute 15.65 per cent of total shelterless
persons in Delhi. It is interesting to note that number of girl children in all age groups are
less than half of number of male children. The majority of the shelterless do not bring
their families. But some families are there whose children are born in the pavements. It
is not possible to infer whether the number of girl child is less because of any kind of
negligence but possibility of gender bias in terms of access to healthcare and other
facilities may not be ruled out.

Children upto 14 years form close to 6 per cent of total male population while the
percentage is double for female population. Generally, men move in singles while
women come with families. It may be possible to correlate the number of women with
number of girl child. Whenever women migrates, generally they migrate with families
with possibilities of increasing the number of girl children and consequent need of urgent
policy intervention to avoid social miseries. (Table 3.1).

Table 3.1: Male Female Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Age-group

Age Group Male Percentage Female Percentage Total Percentage
0-4 249 0.63 108 1.47 357 0.76
5-10 1024 2.59 425 5.80 1449 3.10
11-14 1109 2.81 371 5.07 1480 3.16
15-59 36021 91.27 6211 84.81 42232 90.26
60+ 1062 2.69 208 2.84 1270 2.71
Total 39465 84.35 7323 15.65 46788 100.00
Majority of both men and women however fall in the working age – group. Even though
women move with the families, it may be a few cases where young girl accompanies
father or elderly mother accompanies son. Shelterless women are also part of workforce,
engaged in various kinds of informal jobs.

There are 208 elderly women compared to 1062 elderly men. The elderly constitutes
close to 3 per cent of total shelterless. Many of them are driven away from their homes
while some have left it on their own.

Youngest children (aged between 0 to 4 years) form less than one per cent of total
shelterless persons, much lower percentage compared to the elderly. It may indicate
possibility of high infant mortality rate through there is not enough data in the survey to
establish it. The elderly shelterless also comes to the street after being driven away from
families. Our sample survey in the next chapter shows more than 4 per cent of them
were driven away from the families.
Table 3.2 shows district wise distribution of the shelterless persons above 14 years.
Three districts, i.e. South, North West and North show maximum concentration of older
women while Table 3.3 shows that East, North and South account for maximum
concentration of girls children. This raises the possibility of employing girl children in
occupations like domestic help in these districts and also other kinds of social
exploitation. Girls form more than 27 percent of total children below 14 years compared
to adult women who are less than 15 per cent of total adults. About 1000 girls roaming
the streets of national capital are moving pictures of not only of economic poverty but
more deep rooted social problems as they are mercilessly being exposed to various
kinds of abuses including trafficking. Area specific micro studies are needed in order to
reduce such exploitation and helping them to come out of conditions of helplessness.

Table 3.2: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons above 14 years

District Male Female Total
N % N % N %
Central 4265 11.50 810 12.62 5075 11.67
East 2645 7.13 649 10.11 3294 7.57
New Delhi 1218 3.28 279 4.35 1497 3.44
North 5770 15.56 1015 15.81 6785 15.60
North East 3341 9.01 669 10.42 4010 9.22
North West 7017 18.92 1020 15.89 8037 18.48
South 6880 18.55 1197 18.65 8077 18.57
South West 1738 4.69 203 3.16 1941 4.46
West 4209 11.35 577 8.99 4786 11.00
Total 37083 85.24 6419 14.76 43502 100.00
Table 3.3: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons below 14 years
District Male Female Total
N % N % N %
Central 263 11.04 87 9.62 350 10.65
East 310 13.01 177 19.58 487 14.82
New Delhi 99 4.16 51 5.64 150 4.56
North 375 15.74 145 16.04 520 15.82
North East 282 11.84 115 12.72 397 12.08
North West 301 12.64 97 10.73 398 12.11
South 410 17.21 138 15.27 548 16.68
South West 116 4.87 35 3.87 151 4.60
West 226 9.49 59 6.53 285 8.67
Total 2382 72.49 904 27.51 3286 100.00

3.2 Level of Education

Illiterate children are source of social and economic despair with little scope for
upliftment. More than 70 per cent of shelterless children are illiterate. Even those who go
to school are educated upto primary level. There are only 58 children educated at
primary level and 10 at secondary level in a total of 2777 children aged between 6 to 14
years.

Illiterate girls are slightly higher in proportion compared to illiterate boys (Tables 3.5 and
3.6). There are 43 boys in primary standard against only 15 girls. In the secondary level,
there are only 7 boys and 3 girls in a total of 1480 children aged between 11 to 14 years.
There are several organizations providing education upto primary level in a informal way.
This may have percolated down to the shelterless level to include some such children.
But education at secondary level requires certain identification documents that the
shelterless do not possess. Alongwith the economic inability of the shelterless, the lack
of institutional flexibility also stands as a major hinderance towards skill development of
shelterless children.

Table 3.4 : Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Children by Education Level

(6 to 14 years)
Illiterate Upto Primary Primary Secondary Total
District N % N % N % N % N %
Central 193 63.91 105 34.77 4 1.32 0 0.00 302 10.88
East 258 71.67 83 23.06 15 4.17 4 1.11 360 12.96
New Delhi 108 75.00 35 24.31 1 0.69 0 0.00 144 5.19
North 344 76.11 100 22.12 7 1.55 1 0.22 452 16.28
North East 257 78.59 65 19.88 5 1.53 0 0.00 327 11.78
North West 250 76.69 64 19.63 8 2.45 4 1.23 326 11.74
South 328 69.05 133 28.00 13 2.74 1 0.21 475 17.10
South West 92 64.79 48 33.80 2 1.41 0 0.00 142 5.11
West 189 75.90 57 22.89 3 1.20 0 0.00 249 8.97
Total 2019 72.70 690 24.85 58 2.09 10 0.36 2777 100.00

Table 3.5: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Male Children by Education Level

(6 to 14 years)
Upto
District illiterate Primary Primary Secondary Total
N % N % N % N % N %
Central 149 65.93 73 32.30 4 1.77 0 0.00 226 11.13
East 167 72.29 55 23.81 6 2.60 3 1.30 231 11.37
New Delhi 73 76.84 21 22.11 1 1.05 0 0.00 95 4.68
North 242 74.23 78 23.93 6 1.84 0 0.00 326 16.05
North East 188 78.66 48 20.08 3 1.26 0 0.00 239 11.77
North West 191 78.28 44 18.03 6 2.46 3 1.23 244 12.01
South 250 69.06 99 27.35 12 3.31 1 0.28 362 17.82
South West 65 59.63 42 38.53 2 1.83 0 0.00 109 5.37
West 149 74.87 47 23.62 3 1.51 0 0.00 199 9.80
Total 1474 72.58 507 24.96 43 2.12 7 0.34 2031 100.00

Table 3.6 Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Female Children by Education Level

(6 to14 years)
Illiterate Upto Primary Primary Secondary Total
N % N % N % N % N %
Central 44 57.89 32 42.11 0 0.00 0 0.00 76 10.19
East 91 70.54 28 21.71 9 6.98 1 0.78 129 17.29
New Delhi 35 71.43 14 28.57 0 0.00 0 0.00 49 6.57
North 102 80.95 22 17.46 1 0.79 1 0.79 126 16.89
North East 69 78.41 17 19.32 2 2.27 0 0.00 88 11.80
North West 59 71.95 20 24.39 2 2.44 1 1.22 82 10.99
South 78 69.03 34 30.09 1 0.88 0 0.00 113 15.15
South West 27 81.82 6 18.18 0 0.00 0 0.00 33 4.42
West 40 80.00 10 20.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 50 6.70
Total 545 73.06 183 24.53 15 2.01 3 0.40 746 100.00

Adult Illiteracy

Figures for adult illiteracy also shows the percentage of adult women illiterates are
higher than their male counterparts (Tables 3.7 and 3.8). Adult illiteracy level is slightly
higher than that of the children for both male and female. The adults who received
education also did not proceed beyond primary level in general. There are 146 adult
male against only 25 adult female who read at secondary level in a total of 43502 adults.
Only 9 men are educated upto graduation level whereas there is not a single lady
graduate among the shelterless. However, it is very disheartening to learn that higher
level of education did not help men to rise above shelterlessness.

This study once again focuses on the necessity of carrying out adult literacy
programmes. However, people do not find these programmes helpful as there is hardly
any value addition of literacy in their lives. It is imperative to create some visible value
addition along with flexible timing in these programmes in order to make them attractive
to the target groups. It is also desirable to generate employment through these service
creation. Poor educated persons may be encouraged to take up such activities with
government support.

Table 3.7 : Distribution of Shelterless Male by education Level

(14 years and above)
Graduate &
District Illiterate Upto Primary Primary Secondary Above Total
N % N % N % N % N % N %
Central 3128 11.4 1015 11.7 104 12.1 18 12.3 0 0 4265 11.5
East 1921 7.01 605 6.99 102 11.8 15 10.3 2 22.22 2645 7.13
New Delhi 854 3.12 333 3.85 28 3.24 3 2.05 0 0 1218 3.28
North 4217 15.4 1392 16.1 122 14.1 36 24.7 3 33.33 5770 15.6
North East 2607 9.51 642 7.41 84 9.73 8 5.48 0 0 3341 9.01
North West 5156 18.8 1689 19.5 154 17.8 15 10.3 3 33.33 7017 18.9
South 5125 18.7 1602 18.5 134 15.5 19 13 0 0 6880 18.6
South West 1212 4.42 463 5.35 51 5.91 12 8.22 0 0 1738 4.69
West 3185 11.6 919 10.6 84 9.73 20 13.7 1 11.11 4209 11.4
Total 27405 100 8660 100 863 100 146 100 9 100 37083 100
% 73.90 23.35 2.33 0.39 0.02 100.00

Table 3.8: Distribution of Shelterless Female by Education Level

(14 years and above)
Graduate &
Illiterate Upto Primary Primary Secondary Above Total
District N % N % N % N % N % N %
Central 608 12.4 185 13.4 9 8.11 8 32 0 0.00 810 12.6
East 523 10.7 106 7.7 18 16.2 2 8 0 0.00 649 10.1
New Delhi 203 4.14 73 5.3 3 2.7 0 0 0 0.00 279 4.35
North 746 15.2 241 17.5 25 22.5 3 12 0 0.00 1015 15.8
North East 543 11.1 112 8.13 11 9.91 3 12 0 0.00 669 10.4
North West 785 16 216 15.7 17 15.3 2 8 0 0.00 1020 15.9
South 906 18.5 269 19.5 16 14.4 6 24 0 0.00 1197 18.6
South West 137 2.79 58 4.21 7 6.31 1 4 0 0.00 203 3.16
West 455 9.27 117 8.5 5 4.5 0 0 0 0.00 577 8.99
Total 4906 100 1377 100 111 100 25 100 0 0.00 6419 100
% 76.43 21.45 1.73 0.39 0.00 100.00

Occupation

There are 2929 shelterless children, aged between 5 to 14 years, engaged in several
occupations, majority of them being associated with construction work. Child beggars
are also significant in number. The children take up all kinds of available occupation in
the informal sector to help their families. It is shocking to find out that less than one per
cent of these children are still students. More children are engaged in beggary than in
rag picking, close to 3 per cent are employed as domestic help. These figures show the
ineffectiveness of laws banning child labour as only 5.53 per cent of these children are
actually unemployed.

Male child workers are more than double in number compared to girls child workers
(Table 3.9). But unemployed rate is much lower in case of girls compared to the boys,
indicating the plight of girl child. Very few of them, i.e. less than one per cent are
students. Even there, the percentage of girl students are lower than male student. This
difference does not identify strong discrimination, rather it focuses on the helplessness
of the shelterless in raising any hope for their children.

Table 3.9: Occupational Classification of Children and Adults

Male child Female Child Adult Male Adult female

5 to 14 yrs) (5 to 14 yrs) (Above 14 yrs) (Above 14 years)
Occupation number % number % number % number %
Rickshaw Puller 264 12.38 49 6.16 12761 34.41 408 6.36
Construction
Labour 991 46.46 397 49.87 14192 38.27 2862 44.59
Coolie 16 0.75 1 0.13 563 1.52 20 0.31
Loader 0 0 0 0 17 0.05 4 0.06
Beggar 199 9.33 76 9.55 2891 7.8 847 13.2
Rag Picker 114 5.34 21 2.64 1918 5.17 344 5.36
Vegetable, Fruits 16 0.75 8 1.01 286 0.77 76 1.18
and Ice Cream
seller
Domestic Help 24 1.13 77 9.67 72 0.19 1051 16.37
Self Employed 203 9.52 95 11.93 3493 9.42 707 11.01
Student 20 0.94 5 0.63 15 0.04 1 0.02
Others 29 1.36 5 0.63 481 1.3 64 1
Unemployed 257 12.05 62 7.79 394 1.06 35 0.55
Total 2133 100.00 796 100.00 37083 100.00 6419 100.00

Unemployment rate among the children is higher than among the adults (above 14
years). These unemployed children are not going to schools also. These children are in
the danger of being potential drug addicts and quite vulnerable to other social abuses. In
the school going age, they are either earning for a living, or are doing nothing while the
parents are away for a living. Less than one percent of them are students, thereby
showing the bleak future and no prospect for a majority of them to improve their lot.
Many of them are born shelterless and are likely to remain so for the rest of their life.

Among the adult workers, rickshaw pulling and construction labour are the two major
occupations of the shelterless as has been observed earlier. A women also take up
rickshaw pulling, not for carrying persons but for carrying loads to a nearby distance.
Next to construction work, the women work as domestic help, while less than one per
cent of the men take up this occupation. Begging is also quite common among women
compared to men. Less than one per cent of the shelterless women are unemployed,
compared to one per cent of men. Unemployment rate among the children is much
higher for both boys and girls only to indicate that they will be employed in the same low
paying jobs once they come of age.

Proportion of child labourers ranges between 5 to 17.1 per cent in the districts. South
district, accommodating the highest percentage of shelterless persons also accounts for
the highest number of child labourers. However, in North-East, East and New Delhi
districts, accommodating relatively less percentage of shelterless, the proportion of child
labourers are much higher. Majority of child workers employed as construction labourers
are found in South district, while maximum number of children working as domestic help
is found in the East district. Maximum number of child rag pickers as well as self –
employed is also found in this district. Self –employed children are largely shoe-shine
boys. Child beggars are concentrated largely in the North district. If also accommodates
the highest number of unemployed children. Construction labourers are largely found all
over Delhi with the least concentration in New Delhi District.

Chapter IV

CHALLENGING INCLUSIVE GROWTH POLICIES

The headcount survey of the shelterless was carried on simultaneously with the sample
survey of 1997 persons including 1905 men and 92 women. This was based on detailed
questionnaires emphasizing different aspects of their livelihood pattern, economic
activities, connection with their native places in terms of economic and social linkages,
major risks in such conditions and future perceptions.

The demographic and socio-cultural characteristics of the sample population is tuned

with the general characteristics of the shelterless reflecting their strong representative
attributes (Table 4.1). The sample population is male-dominated with strong
representation of OBC and SC. Majority of them are married and are Hindu by religion.
A little more than one-third of them are literates. Sample literacy level (35 per cent) is a
little higher than the total literacy level as children are not included in the sample. We
took random sample of persons over 15 years. The elderly constitutes less than 3 per
cent of sample total, similar to what has been found in population total, majority being in
the working age group. The primary observations regarding the sample characteristics
show that the random sampling has been able to reflect all the attributes of the
shelterless population in Delhi. The samples even reflect the same locational
concentration as has been observed in headcount survey.

Table 4..1: Demographic and Socio-Cultural Characteristics of Sample Persons (Total No. 1997)

District Sex Social Group Religion Married Literate Age Group Total
Male Female OBC SC ST Others Hindu Muslim Others 15-59 60+ No. %
Central 9.71 9.78 11.98 9.30 1.15 7.09 79.90 19.59 0.52 79.90 43.81 97.42 2.06 194 9.71
East 8.92 7.61 8.68 8.92 12.64 8.11 89.83 9.04 1.13 82.49 29.38 96.05 3.95 177 8.86
New Delhi 5.35 7.61 7.21 5.28 0.00 2.70 82.57 16.51 0.92 74.31 49.54 95.41 1.83 109 5.46
North 14.70 5.43 18.95 13.07 5.75 7.09 80.35 19.65 0.00 81.05 47.37 95.44 4.21 285 14.27
North East 14.80 10.87 12.35 17.84 27.59 8.45 86.99 11.64 1.37 81.16 31.16 99.32 0.68 292 14.62
North West 17.27 15.22 17.11 19.72 21.84 9.12 92.42 7.29 0.29 86.88 25.07 99.42 0.58 343 17.18
South 16.06 29.35 11.37 12.44 26.44 39.86 49.55 49.55 0.90 86.19 26.73 99.70 0.30 333 16.68
South West 4.78 10.87 4.40 3.52 1.15 12.16 52.48 47.52 0.00 91.09 27.72 100.00 0.00 101 5.06
West 8.40 3.26 7.95 9.92 3.45 5.41 86.50 13.50 0.00 75.46 32.52 97.55 2.45 163 8.16
Total 1905 92 818 796 87 296 1563 422 12 1650 673 1958 34 1997 100.00

Occupational profile of sample persons also display the same characteristics. Rickshaw
pulling and construction work are two major activities, followed by begging and rag
picking. Begging attracts more persons than other occupations like domestic help or fruit
selling or rag picking. Unemployment is very low as observed earlier. All of the women
(92) in our sample are employed while we found only one man who was not working.
(Table 4.2).

Table 4.2: Occupational Distribution of Sample Persons

Occupation Male Female Total (N) Total (%)

Rickshaw Puller 607 1 608 30.45
Construction Labour 712 22 734 36.76
Coolie 83 0 83 4.16
Beggar 146 44 190 9.51
Vegetable, Fruits and Ice Cream
Sellers 20 10 30 1.50
Domestic Help 2 2 4 0.20
Self Employed 181 5 186 9.31
Others 53 3 56 2.80
Unemployed 1 0 1 0.05
Total 1905 92 1997 1997

4.1 Economic Profile

Shelterless persons have the only asset, i.e., physical labour to be used for employment.
The construction labourers, many of them being semi-skilled, assemble every morning in
specific places from where the contractors or others pick them on daily contract basis.
These contracts may not come regularly. But they are employed 150-180 days on
average. Rickshaw pullers are on their jobs regularly but their earnings fluctuate much
more than the construction labourers. Some of the shelterless earn their living by selling
vegetable and fruits. The owners of small shops are largely with shelter. It is the helpers
in these shops who sleep in the open. Many of such workers in these shops, however,
sleep inside thereby leading to underestimation of the number of the shelterless to
certain extent.

4.1a Reasons for Coming to Delhi

The findings here is complementing to earlier statement. It is the enormous economic
strength of the national capital that attracts poor migrants with the hope that they will be
able to improver their lots. It shows that known persons in the city have not helped
many of the shelterless. They have just come to the city to try their luck. Nearness to
residence has also not played much important role. It is clear from earlier tables that
nearest states of Punjab and Haryana have not sent many migrants to the city. It is
primarily the various opportunities compared to what is available in the native states that
have pulled the migrants into the city. Similar kind of jobs in the native places offer
much lower remuneration compared to the city. Hence, even if jobs are available, they
are not as much paying as in the city. It is this economic charm that makes a person
shelterless in the city. He is compelled to sacrifice his living environment for a better
paying livelihood. (Table 4.3).
Table 4.3 Reasons for Coming to Delhi

Reason Male Female Total*

Better Job 44.8 45.8 44.8
Better Pay 42.5 45.3 42.7
Near to residence 9.6 5.0 9.4
Knew Somebody 3.0 3.9 3.0
Others 0.2 0.0 0.2
Total 3624 179 3803
* Multiple Answers
4.1b Average Income Earned
Majority of the shelterless earns on daily basis. Their occupations, as has been
observed earlier, though very much informal, are continuous in nature. There is no
permanent employment contract, but same parsons continue in the services for years.
Majority of them (nearly 63 per cent) has a monthly income ranging from Rs. 2000 to
3000. Very poor among the shelterless (earning less than Rs. 50 per day) forms the
lowest percentage (nearly 8 per cent), while about 16 per cent of them earn more than
Rs. 3000 (Rs. 100 per day) per month. It is interesting to observe that majority of the
shelterless in Delhi are above the state poverty line (per capita earning less than Rs. 20
per day). It may be concluded that the shelterless in Delhi earns between Rs. 70 and
Rs. 100 per day on average. There are persons who earn close to Rs.200—250 daily as
well but their number is much smaller. (Table 4.4)

Table 4.4: District wise Distribution of Individual Income (Monthly)

(Rs.)
District Upto 1500 1500-2000 2000-2500 2500-3000 3000+ Total
Central 4.52 12.00 9.62 9.86 10.19 9.71
East 11.61 8.73 9.94 7.00 9.24 8.86
New Delhi 7.74 10.18 5.77 4.61 1.27 5.46
North 21.94 17.09 10.90 14.31 14.65 14.27
North East 4.52 11.27 12.82 15.90 23.57 14.62
North West 6.45 10.55 21.63 19.40 14.97 17.18
South 28.39 14.91 16.03 17.17 12.74 16.68
South West 5.16 5.45 3.37 5.41 7.32 5.06
West 9.68 9.82 9.94 6.36 6.05 8.16
Total 155 275 624 629 314 1997
% 7.76 13.77 31.25 31.50 15.72 100

The poorest shelterless largely reside in North and South districts, followed by East.
Symptoms of uneven economic development is very strong in the national capital. The
South district that accommodates the richest in the capital, also accommodates the
maximum number of poorest shelterless.

Gender bias is prevalent even in this meager earning pattern (Table 4.5). In the lowest
income group, the percentage of women is much higher than the percentage of men. In
the highest income group, their percentage is one-fifth of their male counterpart. We
have observed that all of these 92 women surveyed are employed. It is clear that their
average earning is lower than their male counterparts. Feminisation of poverty is evident
even among the shelterless.
Table 4.5: Gender-wise Distribution of Individual Income (Monthly)
(Percentage)
Income (Rs.) Male Female Total (Col%)
Upto 1500 6.82 27.17 7.76
1500-2000 13.49 19.57 13.77
2000-2500 31.13 33.70 31.25
2500-3000 32.23 16.30 31.50
3000+ 16.33 3.26 15.72
Total 100 100 100
Total 1905 92 1997
4.1c Average Expenditure

There is a striking similarity in the attitude of the shelterless as far as expenditure is

concerned. Majority of them wants to spend minimum in the city for material comforts.
There are very few persons in the highest expenditure range. It has been observed that
drug-addicts tend to spend on drugs whatever they earn during the day. Some of them
even earn Rs.200—250 per day, but do not save at all. They fall into relatively higher
expenditure category but the nature of spending makes them poorer. Otherwise, the
shelterless in general tries to save as much as possible. (Table 4.6)
Table 4.6: District wise Distribution of Individual Expenditure (Monthly)
(Rs.)
District Upto 1500 1500-2000 2000-2500 2500-3000 3000+ Total
Central 9.82 10.09 6.90 5.88 0.00 9.71
East 8.24 10.53 17.24 23.53 25.00 8.86
New Delhi 5.32 7.02 3.45 0.00 8.33 5.46
North 13.44 19.30 20.69 29.41 0.00 14.27
North East 14.20 18.86 10.34 0.00 25.00 14.62
North West 17.94 11.84 24.14 5.88 8.33 17.18
South 17.48 10.53 10.34 29.41 16.67 16.68
South West 5.14 5.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.06
West 8.42 6.14 6.90 5.88 16.67 8.16
Total 1711 228 29 17 12 1997
% 85.68 11.42 1.45 0.85 0.60 100.00
Table 4.7: Gender wise Distribution of Individual Expenditure (Monthly)

(Percentage)
Expenditure (Rs.) Male Female Total (Col %)
Upto 1500 85.62 86.96 85.68
1500-2000 11.44 10.87 11.42
2000-2500 1.47 1.09 1.45
2500-3000 0.84 1.09 0.85
3000+ 0.63 0.00 0.60
Total 1905 92 1997

There is not much difference in attitude between men and women so far as expenditure
is concerned. Women seen to be a little more thrifty compared to men even in much
adverse conditions (Table 4.7). No women came in the highest expenditure category.
They try to keep expenditure as low as possible.

4.1d Remittance
Results of such thriftiness are evident in their savings. On the average, men are able to
send home around Rs. 12,000 annually. The women saves almost half of that amount
as they also earn less. Moreover is mostly spent on her family, thereby reducing her
savings capacity. More or less uniform patter in saving behaviours has emerged in the
districts. However, women have shown more fluctuations in saving behaviour compared
to men in districtwise distribution (Table 4.8).

Table 4.8: Average Annual Remittance Sent to Native Place

(Rs.)
District Male Female Total
Central 13,734 13,000 13,725
East 11,190 7,950 11,091
New Delhi 13,017 4,250 12,806
North 13,169 10,000 13,154
North East 12,358 6,400 12,247
North West 13,384 13,384
South 11,497 5,727 11,217
South West 11,428 8,333 11,299
West 10,672 10,672
Total 12,424 7,033 12,326

The shelterless person has informal ways of saving, mainly through persons known to
them. They deposit money privately and occasionally send home through them also. The
shelterless, on the average, are able to save annually about Rs. 12000 i.e. four times
more than their earnings. There is more or less uniform response among the shelterless
regarding the money sent home, yet it is observed that persons from Central district
send maximum remittance followed by North West and North. Women also send
significant amount of money back home.

4.2 Livelihood Concerns

The shelterless becomes shelterless owing to natural calamities, eviction from native
places due to political turmoil, war, etc., social turmoil or for pure economic reason of
finding better livelihood. The shelterless in Delhi have come here primarily for economic
reasons.

4.2a Reasons for Leaving Home

The respondents reveal that economic reasons are main driving elements for leaving
home, even for the women. Sociological reasons are comparatively insignificant though
sociological impacts of shelterless are far reaching. Persons who moved with families
are least in number among the respondents while number of persons ran way from
home or driven away from families together is less than 7 per cent of total
respondents. This reflects the level at which jobs are concentrated in the national capital
that makes its neighboring states poorer and increase regional inequality. The schemes
like night shelters are only short run solutions and unable to cure such long run
maladies. (Table 4.9).
Table 4.9: Reasons for Leaving Home
 Male Female Total
Ran away from home 4.30 1.09 4.16
Driven away 2.47 1.09 2.40
Searching job 91.65 89.13 91.54
Came with family members 1.10 7.61 1.40
Others 0.47 1.09 0.50
Total 1905 92 1997

4.2b Dependent Family Members

The shelterless has to take responsibility of dependent family members both at the
native place and in the city. Our survey shows that among 1997 persons there are 110
persons with families in Delhi, 1534 persons with families in native places and 353
persons with no family. Average household size of the shelterless is 5.6. Majority of the
shelterless leaves the family behind to come to the city. Dependency ratios of these
families are double compared to those who have brought their families or those who
raised their families here. Sometimes people are evicted from their native place to come
to the city. Sometimes, it is the death of the only bread earner in the family that compels
the whole family to move to other places. They move with the elderly, children and
infants, who are exposed to all kinds of difficulties and threats in life. (Table 4.10)
Table 4.10: Dependent Family Members

Category In Delhi At Native Place

Male Female Total Male Female Total
Adult (above 14 years) 127 344 471 1558 2228 3770
Children (between 1 to 14 285 298 583 1641 1613 3247
years)
Infant (less than one year) 22 32 54 60 72 132
Total 434 674 1108 3259 3913 7149
Dependence Ratio 2 4

The high dependency ratios in native places compel the bread earners to move to the
city in search of jobs and become shelterless. They are not in a position to spend more
in the city neither can they leave the city for a longer time. They are very much in need
of places like night shelters and sanitation facilities for a little improvement in their quality
of life and to escape from hazards of spending nights in the open.

4.2c Identification Documents (ID)

The shelterless do not generally get benefits of several welfare schemes for want of any
identification documents. The sample survey shows that about one-third of them do not
have any kind of documents to establish their identity, either in Delhi or in their native
places. For the rest, the most common document they possess is the voter ID in their
native places. There is 35 per cent of the total shelterless who have these IDs. This is
one of the major reasons for visiting their native places.
Ration cards in native places is the next important ID, possessed by nearly 17 per cent
of the shelterless. However, they do not carry them in Delhi for obvious reasons. These
documents cannot be used in Delhi for getting any benefits. Persons with Delhi ration
cards are small in number. They require permanent address in Delhi in order to have
this document. Generally the shelterless use the employer’s address in the documents.
They also use the address of the local residents known to them. It is easier for the
persons working as domestic helps to find such address. The self-employed finds it
difficult to establish his identity. It is interesting to find that there are more shelterless
persons with local voter IDs than with ration cards though in both cases address is
required. (Table 4.11)

Table 4.11: District wise Distribution of Persons with Identification Documents

Ration Ration Voter Voter Bank Bank Driving No Total

District Card(D) Card(NP) ID(D) ID(NP) A/C(D) A/C(NP) License Documen
t
Central 5.80 11.14 6.82 14.04 100.00 0.00 0.00 11.85 9.71
East 14.49 7.53 16.82 4.92 0.00 14.29 0.00 14.01 8.86
New Delhi 1.45 5.72 4.09 7.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.67 5.46
North 5.80 22.59 16.36 19.10 0.00 28.57 50.00 16.89 14.27
North East 8.70 8.73 9.55 9.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 28.74 14.62
North West 14.49 18.67 13.18 18.96 0.00 0.00 50.00 25.63 17.18
South 40.58 9.94 25.00 9.84 0.00 28.57 0.00 29.19 16.68
South West 1.45 2.11 2.73 7.38 0.00 14.29 0.00 6.67 5.06
West 7.25 13.55 5.45 8.97 0.00 14.29 0.00 11.70 8.16
Total 69 332 220 691 1 7 2 675 1997
% 3.45 16.62 11.01 34.60 0.05 0.35 0.10 33.8 100.0
D- Delhi, NP- Native Place

In our survey, only one person said that he has a bank account in Delhi while 7 more
said that they have it in their native places. They rely more on informal ways of savings
by keeping money among their own people. Only two persons have driving licenses in
the city.

Women hardly have any kind of ID excepting the voter IDs. They also do not have any
financial account that could show their access to finance. Possession of driving license
is very rare among poor women. Illiteracy is one major factor that prevents the poor to
keep savings in any form other than cash.

The three districts i.e. North East, North West and South, accommodating majority of the
shelterless, also show the maximum number of them without any ID.
4.2d Strong Linkage with Native Place

In our sample of 1997, we found 1644 persons having families either in Delhi or in native
places or both. Some of them have brought the core families in Delhi, while relatives are
left in native places. They keep strong linkage with families at native places by
occasional or regular visits to fulfil social and economic obligations (Table 4.12).

Figure : Distribution of ID for Persons

3%
17%
34%

11%

0%
35%

Ration Card(D) Ration Card(NP) Voter ID(D) Voter ID(NP)

Bank A/C(D) Bank A/C(NP) Driving License No identification

Table: 4.12 Strong Linkage with Native Place

Reasons Male % Female % Total %

To Repay Loan 1186 74.50 27 81.82 1213 74.65
To Provide Monetary Help 13 0.82 1 3.03 14 0.86
Agriculture Season 161 10.11 1 3.03 162 9.97
To Meet Parents 16 1.01 0 0.00 16 0.98
Festival 211 13.25 3 9.09 214 13.17
No Work in Delhi 2 0.13 0 0.00 2 0.12
Family Emergency 8 0.50 0 0.00 8 0.49
Marriage & Social Ceremony 14 0.88 1 3.03 15 0.92
Fell Sick 4 0.26 0 0 4 0.24
Total 1592 100.00 33 100.00 1625 100.00

Primary reason of the shelterless for going home is to repay loans (74.5%). This also
explains to certain extent why they have become shelterless. They carry huge debt
burden in their search or livelihood and time to time, they have to go home for meeting
debt obligations. The next major reason is the festival time where more than 13 per cent
of the shelterless make a journey back home.

Agricultural season also draws more than 10 per cent of them back home. They have to
save money for marriages and illness in the families. Only 2 persons among the 1592
males have gone back home because they did not find any employment in Delhi. Very
few persons went home because they fell sick.

No women went home because of sickness. Among 92 women, only one-third reported
going home, debt repayment being the major cause. Generally, one of the family
members go home in order to save transport cost. Some women go home during festival
time.

This survey also reveals the fact that money transfer is the major reason for which the
shelterless have to go personally. Following sections will bring out the fact more clearly
that whether in keeping their belongings, or savings, or transferring money, the
shelterless has various innovative informal methods that generally depends on mutual
trust, but when it comes to carrying money home, they prefer to do that themselves. The
formal sector has no opening for them either for depositing or for increasing their
savings. They continue to remain outside the mainstream development.

4.2e Personal Belongings

By definition, the shelterless has very little personal belongings. But spending life in the
open with families, they accumulate things, however, little, and make innovative places
to keep them. We have found clothes and other things hanging from trees. They think
they can save their things from being stolen in this way. There are other ways of keeping
things which they follow according to their convenience.

The shelterless generally cook by themselves when they come back from work in the
evening. Besides clothes, utensils are their major belongings. Majority of them (61.26%)
keep their things with themselves (Table 4.13). This is possible for self-employed
persons. Rickshaw pullers and construction workers also carry their own things in the
vehicles or near the site. Sometimes, they keep the things in the shops or places where
they work. Generally, the shelterless do not change their sleeping place, unless forced to
do so. Hence, they keep their things where they came to sleep. Some night shelters also
provide the space for them to keep the belongings. Coolias have the coolie rooms for
this purpose, where they accommodate their friends also. A few persons have to pay
from their meager resources to somebody for the safety of their belongings.
 Mother nature takes care of our personal belongings.

Table 4.13: Keeping Personal Belongings

Mans Clothes Utensil

Male Female Total Male Female Total
N % N % N % N % N % N %
1. Carry with themselves 1167 61.26 74 80.43 1241 62.14 1645 86.35 91 98.91 1736 86.93
2. Carry in the working place 314 16.48 6 6.52 320 16.02 157 8.24 0 0.00 157 7.86
3. Keep where stay at night 401 21.05 12 13.04 413 20.68 52 2.73 0 0.00 52 2.60
4. Hired a place on rent 4 0.21 0 0.00 4 0.20 47 2.47 1 1.09 48 2.40
5.Coolie Room 5 0.26 0 0.00 5 0.25 4 0.21 0 0.00 4 0.20
6. Paid a person 14 0.73 0 0.00 14 0.70 0 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
Total 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00

The same informal system continues for money (Table 4.14) as well. Majority of them
keep cash with their employer in good faith, and are betrayed only in exceptional cases.
Group saving is a way of informal savings occupation without the risk of carrying cash in
persons. These savings are generated among very known persons with mutual trust.
Very few persons keep their savings with friends and relatives. Trust on individual is
more risky than trust on communities.

One shelterless earns her living by keeping watch on other shelterless

persons’ belongings.

Table 4.14: Accumulating Cash

Means Male Female Total

N % N % N %
With the Employer 1645 86.35 91 98.91 1736 86.93
Group Saving 157 8.24 0 0.00 157 7.86
Friends/Relative 99 5.20 1 1.09 100 5.01
Others 4 0.21 0 0.00 4 0.20
Total 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00

4.2f Cooking Fuel

Major expenditure of the shelterless is on food. Cooking fuel constitutes a major item of
food. In order to economies on this item, majority of the shelterless use firewool as the
main cooking fuel as it is the cheapest. Kerosene is used by nearly 13 percent of
surveyed persons, seven of them can even afford LPG. Electricity is used by almost 4
per cent of them while more than one-third of them do not cook and eat in roadside
eateries (Table 4.15).

Table 4.15: Major Cooking Fuels Used

Category Male % Female % Total %
Firewood 745 39.11 35 38.04 780 39.06
Cow dung 100 5.25 9 9.78 109 5.46
Kerosene 266 13.96 7 7.61 273 13.67
Charcoal 23 1.21 0 0.00 23 1.15
LPG 7 0.37 0 0.00 7 0.35
Electricity 87 4.57 4 4.35 91 4.56
Others 677 35.54 37 40.22 714 35.75
Total 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00

4.2g Duration of Stay

Period of stay as shelterless indicates gradual long term nature of establishment. In all
districts, maximum duration of stay as shelterless is observed between 5 to 10 years.
Short run stay (less than 1 year) constitutes the lowest percentage. There is a kind of
stability in conditions of shelterlessness. It contracticts the myth that shelterlessness is a
continuous phenomenon, i.e., persons keep pouring in Delhi to make the problem a
never – ending one. On the other hand, the problem is much deeper in the middle,
persons who come as shelterless, continue to remain so. New shelterless persons are
fewer in comparison. It may indicate some kind of economic activities are taking place in
neighbouring states. It may also indicate that conditions of shelterless are becoming
permanent in nature. People, who came as shelterless, will remain so for at least two
decades. This also may act as deterrent to coming to the capital in search of jobs. May
be life in smaller towns are easier even with lower pay. There are however, significant
number of respondents who are staying as shleterless of more than 10 years, again
sending the very pessimist message.(See Annexure X).

South district with the highest number of shelterless also have the highest percentage of
long-term shelterless among them. The percentage of long-term shelterless is near to
fifty per cent in North East, North West and South West districts as well. These are the
major industrial belts in Delhi with concentration of manufacturing activities. Lure of
economics activities bring people in the industrial centers. However, in Delhi, tertiary
sector, the prime economic mover, is spread all over the city. Government and semi-
government offices in certain districts also account for localization of the shelterless.
However, it is not always the center for work but the availability of open space that
shows the concentration of the shelterless in these areas. This concentration will help in
allocating spaces for night shelters in the capital. It is apparent that in every district, the
maximum number of shelterless is staying since 5 to 10 years.

4.2h Long Working Hours

Average shelterless work for seven days a week. Employed persons are entitled to one
days leave, that is handly honoured. Wayside eateries, small shops, load carrying
activities in markets and .. are never closed. The risk of loosing jobs compels the
shelterless to make themselves available every day. Seven days’ work is associated
with long working hours as well. In some districts, women report larger working hours
than men. However, they also report 6 day per week sometimes. It is the floating
character of jobs that compel the shelterless to work everyday of the week and for longer
hours. It is equally true for the employed and the self-employed. (4.16)
Table 4.16: - Long Working Hours
Male Female
District Days Hours Days Hours
Central 7 9.5 7 10.0
East 7 9.3 6 8.9
New Delhi 7 9.6 7 9.4
North 7 9.7 7 8.6
North East 7 9.7 6 9.2
North West 7 9.5 6 8.9
South 7 9.6 7 9.4
South West 7 9.7 7 9.6
West 7 9.4 7 10.7
Total 7 9.6 7 9.3

The rickshaw puller can hardly take rest in order to maintain the level of daily earning.
The coolies, the loaders, the rag pickers are always on the job to earn their meager
living. They have no other form of security than their own labour input. Ironically, they
are still above the poverty line and are ineligible for various welfare programmes.

4.2i Changing Sleeping Place

There is a kind of permanency in the nature of floating populations. It is observed that

close to 80 percent of them do not change their sleeping place, either in the open or in
the night shelters, provided they are allowed to do so. They may have to travel 15-20 km
to the work place, but come back in the evening in the familiar environment of persons
and places that is the substitute of native place left behind. They build up their small
assets in this environment and do not want to be shifted, even if to better living
conditions. This uniformity has been observed in all the districts. (Table 4.17).

Table 4.17: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Changing Sleeping Place

District Changing Place
Yes No Total
N % N % N %
Central 1029 10.65 4396 11.84 5425 11.59
East 807 8.35 2974 8.01 3781 8.08
New Delhi 365 3.78 1282 3.45 1647 3.52
North 1404 14.53 5901 15.89 7305 15.61
North East 787 8.15 3620 9.75 4407 9.42
North West 1894 19.61 6541 17.62 8435 18.03
South 1857 19.22 6768 18.23 8625 18.43
South West 517 5.35 1575 4.24 2092 4.47
West 1000 10.35 4071 10.96 5071 10.84
Total 9660 20.64 37128 79.35 46788 100.00
In our survey, only 84 men and 2 women said they did change sleeping place (Table
4.18). The women made this change only once as their employers left the place. Among
the men, 75 persons changed their sleeping place only once as they were evicted from
that area. Six persons made such change thrice as they changed their jobs while only
are is changing the place continuously as he is drug addict. The shelterless in general,
create a community of their own and feel safe in known environment in their floating
nature of existence.
Table :4.18 Changing Sleeping Place
Male % Female % Total %
Frequent
change of
Sleeping Place Yes 84 4.41 2 2.17 86 4.31
No 1821 96.04 90 97.83 1911 96.13
No of Time of 1 75 89.29 2 100.00 77 89.53
Changing 2 1 1.19 0 0.00 1 1.16
Sleeping Place 3 6 7.14 0 0.00 6 6.98
6 1 1.19 0 0.00 1 1.16
7 1 1.19 0 0.00 1 1.16
Total 84 100.00 2 100.00 86 100.00

4.2j Awareness and Utilization of Night Shelters

It is the only scheme available for the shelterless persons. It is surprising to find that only
a little more than one third of the persons surveyed knew about the existence of such a
scheme. Even among those who knew about this scheme, nearly 70 per cent of them
decided not to sleep in such shelters for various reasons cited below (Table 4.19).
Table :4.19 Awareness and Utilisation of Night Shelters
Male Female Total
Components N % N % N %
Awareness regarding Yes 688 36.12 25 27.17 713 35.70
Night Shelter
No 1217 82.23 67 81.71 1284 82.20
Sleeping in Night Shelters Yes 263 38.23 15 60.00 278 38.99
No 425 69.22 10 66.67 435 69.16
Reasons for not Sleeping in Not safe 189 44.47 5 45.45 194 44.50
Night Shelters Too crowded 163 38.35 4 36.36 167 38.30
No facility 37 8.71 1 9.09 38 8.72
Others 36 8.47 1 9.09 37 8.49
Total 425 100.00 11 100.00 436 100.00

Majority of the shelterless, who do not sleep in these shelters, consider the night shelters
to be unsafe for sleeping while a significant proportion of them think there is not enough
space to sleep in such shelters. We have taken up these issues in details in the next
chapter.

Night shelters – What is that?

4.2k Support towards Livelihood

The shelterless generally do not get any kind of support for lessening the hardships of
livelihood. However, nearly 20 per cent of men and 12 per cent of women said they
received some assistance from the NGos. These assistance come mainly in form of
blankets during winters and medicine. Very few have received any monetary assistance
as donation. Sometimes, they receive food and clothings from some charitable or
religious organizations. (Table 4.20). It is interesting to learn that the shelterelss women
remain outside the Stree Shakti Camps organized by the state governments. They do
not quality as beneficiares.
Table 4.20 : Support to Livelihood
Male Female Total
Category N % N % N %
Receive
Any
Assistance Yes 364 19.10 11 11.96 375 18.78
No 1541 80.89 81 88.04 1622 81.22
Type of
Assistance Money 20 5.49 1 8.33 21 5.59
Blanket 278 76.37 5 41.67 283 75.27
Medicines 30 8.24 5 41.67 35 9.31
Others 36 9.89 1 8.33 37 9.84
Total 364 100.00 12 100.00 376 100.00

4.3 State of Basic Amenities

The shelterless requires medical facilities, sanitation and drinking water as minimum
basic amenities for maintaining their health. They cannot afford to fall sick as cost of
manhour loss due to sickness is very high for them. Physical strength is their only
capital. However, they are largely deprived of access to those minimum basic services.

4.3a Health Concerns

Majority of the shelter less do not consult doctors in the city for their illness. They go
home instead to get traditional treatments or just neglect the illness. The survey shows
that both men and women suffer maximum from malaria. Traffic related accidents are
also major health related hazards. They are prone to other job-related accidents also.
Some of them are aware of the pre/post natal healthcare and have taken their family
members to seek medical help. It is only 2 persons among 1997 surveyed who have
taken advantage of pulse polio treatments though the headcount survey shows that the
there are more than 300 infants among the shelter less. They are quite unaware of any
preventive medical care as is evident from the low percentage of persons taking any
vaccination. Very few of them are treated for malnutrition or child delivery related
problems. It is also quite disheartening to learn that they suffer more from accidents than
common diseases like cold/flu or diarrlioea. (Table 4.21)
Table4.21 : Seeking Medical Help
Category Male % Female % Total %
Consult Doctor Yes 618 32.44 30 32.61 648 32.45
No 1287 95.19 62 92.54 1349 95.07
Purpose Cold/Flu 65 10.52 5 16.67 70 10.80
Malaria 335 54.21 17 56.67 352 54.32
 Diarrhea 26 4.21 0 0.00 26 4.01
Traffic related accident 78 12.62 1 3.33 79 12.19
Other accidents 34 5.50 1 3.33 35 5.40
Pre/post natal care 43 6.96 0 0.00 43 6.64
Delivery care 8 1.29 2 6.67 10 1.54
Malnutrition 8 1.29 0 0.00 8 1.23
STDs 4 0.65 3 10.00 7 1.08
Dental 8 1.29 0 0.00 8 1.23
Pulse polio 1 0.16 1 3.33 2 0.31
Vaccination 4 0.65 0 0.00 4 0.62
Others 4 0.65 0 0.00 4 0.62
Total 618 100.00 30 100.00 648 100.00

Even after consulting doctors, sometimes the shelterless do no go for follow up.
Allopathic medicine is the most common form of treatment, both among male and
female, while homeopathic treatment is most uncommon though the later is generally
cheaper. This may be due to absence of good Homeopath doctors in the locality. Those
who consult allopathic doctors also sometimes get back to traditional treatment because
of the cost of medicines.
Government hospitals are the most common place where the shelterless go for
treatment. They also visit local Primary Health Centers (PHC). Health camps are quite
common in Delhi but somehow, the shelterless may not have access to it as very few of
them have ever gone there. In rare cases they have also gone to private nursing
homes. It is heartening to learn that tuberculosis is not common disease among them.
Their visit to such clinics is negligible. They have also not mentioned this as common
disease. (Table 4.22).

The persons who do not seek medical care have cited affordability as the major
hindrance. The cost of medicine and diagnostic charges are beyond their capability even
if they go to government hospitals. Most of the medicines are not available in hospitals
or PHCs. Diagnostic tests cannot be conducted in the hospitals as either the queue is
too long or medicines are out of stock. Hence many of them keep on neglecting the
disease with the belief that it will take its own course. Age related diseases are hardly
taken into consideration as it is believed that these are only natural. (Table 4.23)

Table 4.22 : Type of Treatment Taken and Place of Treatment

Male % Female % Total %
Treatment Allopatic 579 93.69 26 86.67 605 93.36
Ayurvedic 20 3.24 3 10.00 23 3.55
Homeopathic 3 0.49 0 0.00 3 0.46
Pvt Medical Practioner 11 1.78 0 0.00 11 1.70
Others 5 0.81 1 3.33 6 0.93
Total 618 100.00 30 100.00 648 100.00
Place PHC 125 20.23 5 16.67 130 20.06
FPC 5 0.81 4 13.33 9 1.39
 MCWC 8 1.29 0 0.00 8 1.23
TC 9 1.46 0 0.00 9 1.39
GH 453 73.30 21 70.00 474 73.15
Nursing Home 5 0.81 0 0.00 5 0.77
Health Camp 11 1.78 0 0.00 11 1.70
Others 2 0.32 0 0.00 2 0.31
Total 618 100.00 30 100.00 648 100.00
PHC= Public Health Clinic
FPC= Family Planning Centre
MCWC= Maternity and Child Welfare Centre
TC= TB Clinic
GH= Government Hospital

Table 4.23: Unaffordable Medical Help

Reasons Male % Female % Total %
Disease will take its own course 208 16.24 7 11.29 215 16.01
Age related sickness 376 29.35 19 30.65 395 29.41
Can not afford 564 44.03 33 53.23 597 44.45
Medical facilities are far away 84 6.56 2 3.23 86 6.40
Peak agricultural season 20 1.56 1 1.61 21 1.56
Others 29 2.26 0 0.00 29 2.16
Total 1281 100.00 62 100.00 1343 100.00
*Multiple Answers

In Delhi casual agricultural labourers are very insignificant in proportion, yet some of
them have stated that they could not continue with the treatment as they had to go back
in peak agricultural seasons. Mistrust in the health care systems is also a major
deterrent. The shelterless thinks that the whole healthcare system is anti--poor and
nobody is willing to provide any facilities to them.

4.3b Sanitation
Generally the shelterless go to the free public toilets, though they are very dirty and often
without any water or electricity. Sometimes they use pay-and –use sulabh toilets also.
The severe dearth of sanitation facilities is evident from the fact that more than 36 per
cent of men and more than 46 per cent of women still use open fields for sanitation
purposes. The need for increasing number of community toilets with proper facilities is a
pressing one. The casual approach to one of the primary services in the national capital
has increased the threat has increased the threat to city’s living environment (Table
4.24).
Table 4.24: Access to Toilet Facilities
Access Male % Female % Total %
Open Fields 689 36.17 43 46.74 732 36.65
Public Toilet 953 50.03 45 48.91 998 49.97
Sulabh 253 13.28 4 4.35 257 12.87
Others 10 0.52 0 0.00 10 0.50
Total 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00

4.3c Drinking Water

Community tap is the most significant source of dirking water for the shelterless in Delhi,
hand pump being the next one. These two sources are used by 94 percent of them.
Community wells are much less in number in Delhi. Some of the shelterless bring water
from their work places. Supply of drinking water is not as acute a problem as sanitation
facilities in the city.(Table 4.25)

Table 4.25: Access to Drinking Water

Type Male % Female % Total %
Community well 77 4.04 12 13.04 89 4.46
Community tap 1085 56.96 63 68.48 1148 57.49
Hand Pump 714 37.48 16 17.39 730 36.55
Others 29 1.52 1 1.09 30 1.50
Total 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00

4.4 Risks of being Shelterless

Eviction threat and police harassment are two major risks for the shelterless. Close to 42
percent are afraid of the eviction threat while 30 per cent fear police harassment as the
major risk. The civic authorities are often armed with various regulations, especially
those against encroachment of public land. The civic authorities can evict people in
order to take control of public land without providing any alternative arrangements for
them. The police are accused of taking money forcibly from the shelterless on the
pretext of eviction. The shleterless do not change their sleeping places often as has
been evident before but they remain under constant threat. The recent policies of
industrial relocation and removal of encroachment for expansion of metro rail or
construction of temple are examples of such threat implying that the shelterless not only
have no place to sleep, they actually belong to nowhere.(Table 4.26).

Table: 4.26 Major Risks

Major Risks Male % Female % Total %

Police Harassment 564 29.61 24 26.09 588 29.44
Eviction Threat 791 41.52 51 55.43 842 42.16
Threat to life 228 11.97 12 13.04 240 12.02
Others 322 16.90 5 5.43 327 16.37
Total 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00
 This is how we prepare ourselves to fight the winter.

4.5 Hopes for the Future

Is their any gain for the shelterless from the city? Do they hope to live a better life?
Unfortunately, the shelterless do not even ask these questions to themselves as there
are no hope for any betterment for them. But on much insistence, they express their
desire with much doubt, the primary of being a roof over their head. They do not want a
permanent home, as this is a utopia, but some kind of shelter is their week demand. The
construction of might shelters will require less than one tenth of what is spent on Delhi
Metro but that urgency of implementation is pathetically absent. Even the existing night
shelters are in deplorable conditions for want of maintenance. We have taken up these
issues in details in the next chapter.

Next to shelter, employment is the major concern for which they have come to the city.
Some of them think that subsidized loans or provision of capital assets like rickshaw or
cycle may be helpful. Generally they get these things from the private operators at much
higher interest rate. Facilities like drinking water or medical help do not come to their
mind in a big way. This is not because they do not need it, but because of the frustration
that they will not get it. Women are more scare of the evictin threat compared to men,
Men are a little hopeful regarding childrens education though they answer with deep
despair (Table 4.27).

Table 4.27: Aspirations of the Shelterless

Suggestions/Facility for Male Female Total

shelter less N % N % N %
Shelter, not Home 1572 82.52 88 95.65 1660 83.12
Employment 1526 80.10 70 76.09 1596 79.92
Money/Subsidized Loan 178 9.34 8 8.70 186 9.31
Facility of Drinking water 145 7.61 0 0.00 145 7.26
Capital Assets 16 0.84 0 0.00 16 0.80
Children for the 36 1.89 0 0.00 36 1.80
Education
No Eviction 20 1.05 4 4.35 24 1.20
Medical Help 29 1.52 0 0.00 29 1.45
Police Security 33 1.73 1 1.09 34 1.70
Others 73 3.83 2 2.18 75 3.75
Total Number 1905 92 1997
Note: The percentage figures do not add up to 100 because of multiple answers.

Even with all the threats and hazards of staying in the capital, 67 percent of the
shelterless think they have no other options than to stay here. Fifteen per cent have no
idea of any future plans, reflecting the picture of desperation. Men and women think in
the same way in this respect. There is no gender bias in frustration. They do not see any
hope of going back, though they will love to as there is no prospect of better livelihood
back home. Close to 10 percent think they can go back as they have built sufficient
assets there. The assets are generally like acquiring a piece of land or constructing one
or two rooms that can be given on rent or starting a shop at home to make both ends
meet, when the most important input, i.e., manual labour cannot be used in old age.
Some people also think that if the present job is not sufficient, they will have to go back.
But for the majority, there is no hope of improving their conditions, no hope of going
back, just a desperate compulsion to maintain the status quo. The streams of welfare
activities for improving the lot of the under-privileged just bypass the shelterless.
Ironically, they still remain above the poverty line and pose the most formidable
challenge to any inclusive growth policy. (Table 4.28)

Table 4.28 : Future Perceptions

Future Plan Male % Female % Total %
Will stay in Delhi 1273 66.82 66 71.74 1339 67.05
Will go Back Home 178 9.34 15 16.30 193 9.66
Depend on Job 159 8.35 2 2.17 161 8.06
Did not Think 295 15.49 9 9.78 304 15.22
Total 1905 100.00 92 100.00 1997 100.00

4.6 Estimates of Shelterless Persons

We have tried to project growth of shelterless persons in Delhi from 2007 to 2016. We
have taken two growth rates – one emerging from the Census (1991 and 2001) and the
other based on our example survey. In the sample survey we obtained data regarding
duration of stay as shelterless and calculated the number of persons staying as
shelterless in 2001, which was slightly higher than the census 2001 figures. Our
headcount survey showed the figures for 2006. Based on these estimates. We
calculated growth rate. On estimated growth rates are much higher than census growth
rates. The estimated growth of shelterless population based on these two rates are
presented in Tables 4.29 and 4.30.

Table 4.29: Growth Rate of Shelterless Persons

Source Year Population CAG
IHD 2001 24,131
Survey 2006 46,788 11.67
1991 18,838
Census 2001 23,903 2.41
*Compound Annual Growth Rate

Table 4.30: Estimated Growth of Shelterless Persons, 2007 -2016

Year IHD survey Census

2007 52,248 27,574
2008 58,346 28,239
2009 65,154 28,920
2010 72,758 29,616
2011 81,249 30,330
2012 90,731 31,061
2013 101,319 31,810
2014 113,143 32,576
2015 126,346 33,361
2016 141,091 34,166
 Chapter V

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS

The Central government and the states have launched several housing programs for
the economically weaker since the First Five Year Plan. The National Housing Policy
has recognized housing for all as the primary goal and facilitated several institutional
and legislative reforms to enable both public and private initiatives in order to meet
the annual target of 2 million houses (1.3 million in rural areas and 700,000 in urban
areas) for the poor in the country. The homeless persons, however, till remain
outside this scheme as they cannot fulfill the eligibility criteria for owning a house.
The scheme of Night Shelters has been devised to provide some relief to them.

5.1 The Night Shelters

The Central Government launched the Scheme for Night Shelters and Sanitation
Facility for the Urban Footpath Dwellers in 1989-90, with subsidy up to 50 per cent of
the cost of construction subject to a ceiling. Balance can be taken from Hudco or any
other agency as loan. Land or site is provided by the state governments or local
bodies or other implementing agencies. Hudco provides loan for land acquisition also
if required. The states are the implementing agencies. They may recommend NGOs,
CBOs, charitable institutions, clubs, public sector organizations and others for
submitting proposals for construction and management of night shelters. The
financial agencies ensure that the implementing agencies have made proper
arrangements for maintenance before sanctioning loans. The state administrative
departments are the principal coordinating bodies for ensuring smooth
implementation of the program. At the national level, Ministry of Urban Employment
and Poverty Alleviation is the authority for preparing guidelines and release of funds
to the implementing agencies. This scheme has two components—

1. Construction of community night shelters with community toilets and baths.

2. Construction of only community pay-and-use toilets/bath for the homeless.
These two components can be part of an overall complex of commercial or
remunerative facilities.

The scheme has been renamed as “Night Shelters for Urban Shelterless” and
modified to be limited to construction of composite night shelters with toilets and
baths for urban shelterless. These would be in the nature of dormitories or halls with
plain floors to be used for sleeping at night and for other social purposes during the
day e.g. health care centre, training for self-employment, adult education etc, the
remunerative elements and provision for proper maintenance remain a part of the
scheme.

The modified scheme also allows commercial use of the complexes. The ground
floors of the night shelters may be used for shops, godowns etc. Existing commercial
structures also may be renovated to construct an additional floor to function as night
shelter.

The pattern of financial assistance remains the same subject to the cost ceiling of
Rs. 20000 per bed for night shelter. Balance is to be taken as loan or other help from
any agency. There is no ceiling amount of loan. The implementing agency will take
the full responsibility for maintenance of the shelters.

Pay-and-use public toilets, however, remain seriously neglected. For example,

MCD runs a total of 13 community toilets in Kalyanpuri, Janata Majdur Colony and
Tigri slums. Of these, six are already closed and seven are in an unusable state as
these toilets have neither water nor electricity (The Hindu, 4.6.07). The toilets have
been closed by the MCD stating that they are being under-utilized and there is no
money to maintain them,

A sample survey conducted by Mahila Progati Manch in these areas indicated that
out of 228 households living there, only 25 per cent of them have their own toilets,
the rest being dependent on the community toilets run by the civic body. They cannot
use the toilets as they are not properly maintained. One can imagine the plight of the
shelterless, whose conditions are much worse than the slum dwellers, without
access to these facilities. Public toilets are the only places where they can go for a
hygienic sanitation. Absence of such facilities is going to affect their living
environment. This problem is likely to be much more acute when night shelters are
used for other works during day time. The shelterless will be denied access inside
the night shelters for using the toilets as the occupants during day time may object
common access to these facilities for security reasons. The modified night shelter
scheme is going to spell more trouble to the shelterless in absence of public toilets.

There are two types of night shelters; - permanent and temporary. Permanent night
shelters are constructed with permanent structures while temporary shelters are of
porta cabin types, operational only for three months during winter. The governments
provide tents to the operational agencies for running these shelters. Blankets,
durries, drinking water, baths and toilets are the basic facilities provided in these
shelters. Along with the state governments, the charitable and other agencies also
donate these facilities. In the permanent shelters, users pay some nominal charge
(Rs. 6 per blanket per night) for using the facilities. There are no such payments in
the temporary shelters. The baths and toilets may be used during day time also on
pay-on-use basis with nominal charges. Currently, this scheme has been transferred
to the State Sector from the Central Sector.

The National Housing and Habitat Policy aims at providing shelter to all with time-
bound construction activities. The shelterless in the city, however does not always
want to live in the city. They want to earn more and send the remittance back home.
They do not like the idea of staying so far away from their relatives and communities.
They also do not want to spend on housing in the city. Slum housing is also
expensive for them and there are no alternatives than to sleep in the open. Night
shelters are the right kind of scheme to address the floating nature of homelessness.
Some times, very short visitors to the city spend the nights here as it is very
convenient and cheapest place to stay provided the basic facilities are supplied. The
scheme also provides the option for using these places as day-care centers or
training centers during the day for making them self-sustainable. The states however
have not shown much enthusiasm to implement these schemes despite the increase
in the number of shelterless persons. The following table shows the number of night
shelters constructed in different states and the related costs.

Table5.1: State wise Summery of Night Shelters for Pavement Dwellers

(As on 31.1.07) -----Cumulative

States Schemes Project Loan Beds Pay-and- Baths Urinals
use
(No.) Cost (Rs. Crore) (No.) Toilet (No.) (No.)
Seats
(Rs. Crore)
(No.)

Andhra Pradesh 5 4.03 2.14 2116 210 0 0

Bihar 5 1.28 0.48 1967 0 0 0

Chhattishgarh 6 14.82 6.90 0 2905 760 1007

Gujarat 2 2.09 1.06 50 1109 0 0

Jharkhand 3 1.46 0.79 2284 0 0 0

Kerala 3 0.5 0.30 358 0 0 0

Karnataka 1 0.94 0.00 0 7962 28 9

Maharashtra 34 27.15 0.00 0 2018 52 449

Madhya Pradesh 14 15.70 2.95 7133 206 412 323

Orissa 3 0.79 0.06 328 1038 206 0

Rajasthan 14 6.59 0.18 886 0 545 296

Tamil Nadu 1 0.09 0.06 150 0 0 0

Uttar Pradesh 2 0.97 0.50 1695 30 0 0

West Bengal 1 0.07 0.0 0 0 22 18

Total 94 76.5 15.40 16867 15603 2015 2102

Source: Hudco, unpublished data.

The above table shows general apathy of the states towards solving problems of the
shelterless. According to Census, there are close to 2 million shelterless persons in
India, even with modest estimates. The major urbanised states however have been
able to provide only 16867 beds to the footpath dwellers in the night shelters (0.86
per cent) covering less than one per cent of the requirement. Big urbanised states
like West Bengal, Maharastra and Karnataka have not provided any data regarding
these figures, even though Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi account for more than 70 per
cent of the total shelterless persons in India. In majority of the cases, the states fail to
generate their share of the funds and the schemes remain abandoned. The situation
is worse in case of public toilets. Here the number of defaulting states is more, West
Bengal being the least performer among the states who have supplied data. The
states are preoccupied with the low-cost housing for the urban poor while the
number of shelterless, the most vulnerable among them, keeps on multiplying. In the
state plan schemes, the gap between target and achievement is the widest in case of
night shelters.

Providing shelter only to 7.89 per cent of the shelterless

In Delhi, the Slum and Jugghi Jhumpri Department of the Municipal Corporation of
Delhi (MCD) is the implementing authority of the Night Shelter scheme. They have
constructed 31 buildings for such shelters till now with accommodation capacity of
4710 persons. However 10 units, with capacity of 2511 persons have been closed
owing to various reasons. The shelterless was denied accommodation in the places
where their concentration was one of the highest. The night shelters at Turkman gate
( capacity 350 persons), Jama Masjid (capacity 800 persons) and Gol Market
(capacity 325 persons) were closed due to land disputes as MCD did not own the
land. Boulward Road night shelter (capacity 90 persons) was closed as the land was
required for the Delhi Metro project while one night shelter in Karol Bagh with
capacity of 60 persons was closed as a Coffee Home of the Delhi Government was
constructed on the land. There have been no alternative arrangements for providing
shelters to these persons. The other five shelters were closed as the operating
NGOs refused to continue further. Some of the buildings are being used for other
purposes like Haj majlis, community halls etc. Presently, there are 12 permanent
night shelters with a capacity of 2000 persons and 14 temporary ones with a capacity
of 1970 persons (Annexure). MCD operates 10 of the 12 permanent shelters while
the remaining two and all the temporary shelters are run by the NGOs, majority by
the Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA). MCD provides all the materials like tents,
blankets, wooden benches etc. while the NGOs provide for the medicines and other
items. Temporary shelters are operational for three months in the winter.

In the permanent shelters, essential facilities like drinking water, bath and toilet
facilities are provided. MCD has involved the NGOs on experimental basis in the
maintenance of the night shelters. It owns the capital assets and provides the cost of
running expenditure to the NGOs. The private sector is also involved with donation of
mats, blankets, clothes, medicines and the like. It used to charge Rs. 6 per inmate
since 1999 but has made it free since this year. Tenth Plan for Delhi earmarked Rs.
3 crore for the Night Shelter scheme. However, none of the 5 new night shelters
targeted to be built during the plan period has come up as yet.

5.2 Occupancy

All the night shelters are, however, not fully occupied. Permanent shelters have 80 to
120 per cent occupancy while in temporary night shelters, more vacancy has been
observed. In such a shelter in Raghubir Nagar in West district, only 20-25 persons
were occupying the place though it has a capacity of 90 persons. It is the temporary
nature of comforts that acts as deterrent. In the FGDs, it was discussed in depth and
people complained that they needed such shelters in summer and the rainy seasons
as well. Many of them have made some arrangements for facing the cruelty of
nature and do no want to disturb that for three months. There are persons who rent
quilts to them, sometimes illegally keeping the local administration in good humour.
These facilities are not extended to those who discontinue it. If the night shelters are
not fully occupied, it does not mean that there is no need for them. People
sometimes, do not want to disturb whatever meager arrangements they have made
as the opportunity cost will be higher. That is why; it was found that occupancy in
permanent night shelters are much better. In the permanent night shelters, some
inmates are staying since 15-20 years. In the FGDs, many of them could not
remember since when they are staying. They also do not change their sleeping
place. They travel 20-25 km. distance during daytime to their work place and come
back at night to the same night shelter. According to rule, a person cannot stay in a
night shelter for long. But the familiarity with the watchman, guards and local area
police leads to this advantage. The caretaker does not want to deprive the inmates of
this meager facility. Prolonged stay in a particular area helps to generate certain kind
of kinship. They form social network with inmates of other night shelters. This gives a
kind of informal security that helps in building assets in their native places. They do
not want to build houses in the city. Some of them prefer to spend for their children’s
education rather than spending money on house in the city.

The occupants of the night shelters are generally single as families with children are
not allowed. There are some arrangements for ladies in the temporary shelters, but
hardly anything in the permanent ones. Sometimes, man and wife with no children
take shelter in the temporary tents during winters. But families will children will have
to stay in the open.

There are criminals and drug-addicts, who surreptitiously take advantage of these
shelters. One cannot consume liquors inside the night shelters. So many of them
have it outside and silently come to sleep without being noticed. There are petty
thieves and burglars who come back very late at night. Sometimes, the inmates
know about them and discuss it openly but do not report to the police. They are
united through the bondage of poverty. It is also the reason that many shelterless
persons do not want to sleep in these night shelters for fear of pick pocketing.

Temporary shelter to be withdrawn after three months

5.3 Alternatives to Housing

Permanent night shelters are seen as alternatives to housing. People from several
occupations are staying in these shelters. Even beggars come to stay in these
places. Sometimes, their daily charges are paid by their aquatints in these shelters.
People staying in these shelters are privileged compared to those who sleep in the
open. There are carpenters, masons, black smiths and other labourers whose
average earning varies from Rs. 50 to Rs. 250. They keep their belongings and
money in informal set-ups like shops as the shop owners are known to them. Some
of them keep it with the local residents as they are from the same native place. The
shelterless visit their native places during harvesting seasons or when they have
accumulated sufficient savings or to meet some family priorities. They make such
journeys even twice or thrice a year, but come back to the same night shelters again.
Their places are not occupied during their absence.

It is this kinship associated with the longtime stay that has generated a feeling of
stability among the deprived. We attended marriage ceremony among the beggar
families, who, with their meager resources, try to make the best of opportunities. It is
the informal nature of arrangements that help them to access a stable future in terms
of generating saving and asset. They cannot go to formal financial institutes as they
do not possess the required documents. It is the trust among the permanents
settlers, familiarized through long-term association that gets transformed into
material gain of saving meager resources. Permanent night shelters thus help in
solving the settlement problems to the floating population.

5.4 Perceptions of the Inmates

Welfare schemes in the social sector are designed with good objectives but seriously
lacking in implementations. Floating population may not like to spend on permanent
houses in the city. They would have gone back to their native place but for the job
opportunities. Night shelters are very good alternatives for them as the cost is very
low. People staying in those shelters for long have been really benefited though it is
illigal to stay beyond a few days. Permanent night shelters are very popular and
much in demand. Temporary night shelters tend to aggravate the sufferings when
the facilities are withdrawn. People get relief from extreme winters but there is no
protection from heat and rains. Locational advantages are also very important. The
night shelters in Turkman Gate, Dilli Gate, Nizammuddin etc. are over occupied,
compared to the capacity measured in physical space (1.5 sq.mtr per person). These
are the pockets of informal jobs as well. On the other hand, the night shelters in the
North-West and South-West districts are occupied below their capacity. It does not
indicate the abundance of these shelters or reduction of shelterless persons. Lower
capacity may refer to lack of facilities that need to be addressed. The night shelter in
Okhla is occupied below its capacity as people take shelter in the wholesale market
building where they do not have to pay even the minimum cost.
The officials pay occasional visits to these night shelters but do not pay much
attraction to the facilities provided. The night shelters in Jama Masjid and Old Delhi
Railway Station have broken water coolers with no water. The main problem in Raja
Garden night shelter is the stink from nearby drain. Fans are permanently out of
order in Nizammudin and Azadpur night shelters.

Night shelters are the best alternatives to the shelterless as even beggars are
utilizing these facilities. In Azadpur and Mangolpuri, we met a total of 30 beggars
who earn Rs. 100-150 daily, have their food in the religious places and come to
sleep in these shelters. Others take their meal in nearby roadside eateries.

Religious place also offer better sleeping spaces compared to pavements as has
been observed in Connaught Place Hanuman Mandir, where approximately 150
persons including women and children sleep at night. But all religious places do not
allow entry to outsiders for security reasons.

We covered approximately 200 inmates of different night shelters during our FGDs,
spread over all the districts of Delhi. They have clear perceptions regarding
advovatages and disadvantages of staying in night shelters. We try to summerise the
major observations emerging out of these FGDs in the tables below.
 Table5.2 Major Reasons for Staying in Night Shelters

Reasons Respondents Reasons Respondents

(%) (%)

1. Protection against bad weather 50 7. Near to work 29

place

2. Less costly than slum 47 8. Near to work 27

accommodation place of wives

3.Secured at night 55 9. Familiarity with 42

local people

4. Basic facilities 67

5. Protection against police 35

harassment

6. Permanent sleeping space 62

Note: Multiple Answers. Source: Results from FGD conducted by IHD

Majority of the inmates consider the provision of basic minimum facilities, i.e., bath,
toilet, drinking water and electricity the most important aspect of the night shelters. The
most vulnerable among the poor including the beggars also does not mind paying for
these basic facilities at affordable cost. The inmates find the permanent sleeping place
as another very desirable provision. The floating population is not so floating in nature.
Many of them are staying in these places for years. These places have become almost
like home to them. They do not want to spend on houses in the city and save fiercely to
improve the quality of life in their native places.

Night shelters offer protection against police harassment and possibilities of getting killed
by accidents or getting murdered. People are generally satisfied with security inside as
the gates close by midnight. These are manned by the MCD staff and not by the police.
Night shelters seem to be best alternative to people who cannot afford even slum
housing. Rents in the slum are higher compared to their affordability. The basic facilities
like electricity, water and toilet are also quite costly. The slum lords extract their pounds
of flesh from the poor though they themselves devise many ways to escape laws of the
land.

5.5 Major Problems

The inmates felt that the most significant problem in the night shelters in general is the
lack of maintenance. Toilet seats are not clean, water coolers are broken, fans do not
work, blankets and durries are torn. The maintenance persons are not serious about
these inconveniences. Their attitude is not positive towards the inmates. The staff thinks
that the inmates deserve no service as they pay very low charges. The purpose of the
welfare schemes are defeated by the attitude of the implementing agencies. Some
persons find it very difficult to go to the night shelters that are 5 to 6 km. away. Shelter
less persons are found even in posh areas of south Delhi. They are unable to utilize
these services as that would increase the transport cost. Shelterless persons are
generally single. Yet many of them who are living this life for long have families as well.
They cannot take advantage of night shelters as there is no provision for women and
children.

Similarly, the rickshaw pullers and the venders find it convenient to sleep on their
vehicles as protection to theft. Rickshaw pullers constitute a significant number of the
shelterless. But they cannot take advantage of these facilities in fear that their vehicles
will be stolen.

The space in these shelters remains unutilized owing to lack of awareness regarding
location of such facilities. Shelterless persons are largely illiterate. They would not know
about these provisions unless spread by word of mouth. The municipal staffs do not take
any positive role to create such awareness.
 Table 5.3 Major Problems in the Night Shelters

Problems Respondents Problems Respondents

(%) (%)

1. Not properly located 62 7. Fans do not work 82

2. Not sufficient in number 87 8. Very dirty toilets 65

3.No place to keep 72 9.No water in coolers 68

belongings

4. No knowledge 47 10.Lack of privacy and 53

security as inmates are not
known

5. No. place for women and 76 11. Attitude of the staff not 56
children helpful

6. Blankets are very dirty 65 12. Stinking neighbourhood 58

Note: Multiple responses. Source: Results from FGD

A large number of homeless persons are drug addicts and alcoholic. Many of them have
escaped from home to get rid of stressful environment. They earn even Rs. 200-250
daily to be able to pay for drugs and remain in that state forever. They cannot get rid of
this habit even if they want to. There are not sufficient drug de-addiction centers in the
city. The existing ones largely cater to children of the wealthy and the pavement dwellers
hardly find a place in such centers. The lone drug-addict shelterless does not even know
that any such center exists. He earns as much as to pay for drugs and keeps on taking it
till the end comes. Sometimes he may enter a night shelter surreptitiously to sleep. He
will be thrown out immediately if the inmates know of his habit. It is also the reason that
many shelterless persons boycott the night shelters. They fear that they will be robbed of
their meager savings by these drug-addicts.

5.6 Future Perception

One cannot help noticing deep despair in shelter less persons who were surveyed or
who took part in the FGDs. They perceive their future to remain the same in near or
distant future as they have very little faith in government schemes or implementing
agencies. Government schemes are not sufficient to provide shelter to all shelterless,
even if they form less than one percent of total population. Night shelters are closed
either for want of maintenance or the land and buildings have been taken away for other
purposes. The existing facilities are not adequate. But the inmates are reluctant to talk
about it as the maintenance staff would not let them use even the meager facilities if
they complain. They are tired of answering the survey questions that, according to them,
will lead to nowhere. They are deprived of physical capital, but not of basic
understanding or realization. They even pity the surveyors who, according to the
inmates, have come to fulfill certain target numbers through these questions. These will
be used to fill up official records but no meaningful benefits will flow to make the slightest
change in their lives. This seems the greatest challenge towards forming any inclusive
policy for growth. The deprived believe that they are permanently excluded from any
redistributive economic programme.

Chapter VI
 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Developing nations in general, have experienced rapid population growth and a

slow-down in agricultural production, the expansion of jobs and opportunities in
urban areas. These factors have caused a large increase in migration to urban
centers while the urban authorities are simply not ready to catch up with the civic
facilities in a short span of time. The consequences have been a large shortage of
housing and the growth of slums and squatter settlements.

It is always argued that the government does not have the required fund to provide
the required services. If we can classify the need for civic services according to
income group, we may find a direct linkage between infrastructural need of the
economically better off and comparatively narrower gap between target and
actrievement. The gap is much lower in case of higher quality infrastructure.
Globalization has accentuated the need farther. The pace at which highways,
airports, flyovers, metro rail and high-end housing projects are getting completed
with the public sector as facilitators does not reflect the real situation of other India,
where plan schemes like construction of municipal school buildings, supply of text
books to the poor, providing sanitation facilities to slums and building of night
shelters fall 80 to 100 per cent short of targets. This cumulative non-fulfillment of
targets leads to exclusion of certain section of people from the mainstream
development. We are suffering from age-old economic malady i.e., mal-distribution,
rather than shortage of resuources. This is very explicitly reflected in case of
schemes related to shelter less population of Delhi.

This survey challenges the myth that the houseless needs a house in the city. The
fact is that they do no even want a job in the city if they can find one in their native
place. They spend minimum on food and lodging in the city and send as much
remittance home as possible in order to make their lives comfortable in their native
places. They want to be back in their familiar places among their own community.
But ironically, may of them have to spend their whole life as shleterless in the city
which provides them the only major livelihood. The shelterless does not want to
spend on housing in the city. All they need is some shelter in the city at the minimum
cost. He would rather spend on his children’s education rather than on house as he
does not want to spend the rest of his life in the alien city. The affordable shelter on a
long-term basis matches with their floating nature of stay.

The government schemes of night shelters have tried to focus rightly on two
components of service-- shelter and sanitation. The per-capita construction cost per
bed in these shelters has been raised from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 20,000 at present. The
central government used to finance 20 per cent of total cost as grant while the rest
80 percent finance was to be arranged by the implementing agency, generally the
state governments, as loan from Hudco. The scheme has been transferred from the
central to the state sector with the increase in central assistance from 20 to 50 per
cent. However, the states do not show much seriousness in its implementation, as
evident from the financial records. In the currently modified scheme, some
remunerative elements and provisions for proper maintenance have been
introduced. Public sector undertakings engaged in construction works will identify
suitable sites for the night shelters.

The basic problem with this scheme is the casual approach of the states. In Delhi,
none of the 5 night shelters proposed to be constructed under state 10th plan, have
come up. Moreover, some of the existing night shelters are closed as land has been
taken for other purposes. The community toilets are not worth using for want of
water, electricity and maintenance. In many areas, deserted community toilets have
become dens of criminal activities.

In the modified scheme, commercial use of shops and godowns on the ground floor
has been allowed while the additional floor will be used as night shelter. This runs
the risk of misusing the premises unless monitored very carefully. In cities like Delhi
with very high market price for land, it is highly likely to use part of the additional
floor also for commercial purpose living very little space for the shelter less to sleep.
The night shelters may also be used for social purposes like training for self-
employment during day time as envisaged under urban poverty alleviation programs.
This type of use is less likely for misusing the added land. However, given the poor
record of monitoring agencies, the possibility of derailing the program remains quite
high.

There is no time frame attached for implementing these programs. Welfare activities
are treated like residual jobs. The inmates do not pay at all or pay very little for the
services; hence it is thought they have no right to quality services ignoring the direct
relationship between services and economic productivity. The shelterless may even
come out of their misery with uninterrupted supply of basic services that would save
time, the primary input of their productivity. The majority of shelterless are working
persons, fulfilling several types of needs of the city. If they fall ill get killed by
accident or vitiate the city environment with improper sanitation habits, enormous
economic and social costs are generated. But we don’t deal with the matter on
urgent basis as most of the losses are invisible. Opportunity cost of such deprivation
is very high, leading to maldistribution of human capital. The economic importance of
social welfare activities is hardly realized with the consequence that their provision
often gets low priority.

The scheme has been transferred to the state sector with the possibility of farther
reducing its level as the central government hardly has any effective control on the
state sector schemes. They can stop the grants but that does not serve the purpose
of reducing the level of deprivation. Centrally sponsored schemes like Swarna
Jayanti Sahari Rojgar Yojana and Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan have stopped midway in
many states as they failed to raise the matching financial assistance.

Even in much publicized. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission

(JNNURM), the emphasize is on capital expenditure in water supply, solid waste
management and sewerage projects, rather than on welfare schemes. Schemes like
provision of housing for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) are categorized as
optional activity for the states, indicating the casual nature of concern towards
reducing deprivation. Time frame for poverty alleviation programs is loosely
mentioned as within seven years. The problems of the shelterless hardly find any
mention in the schemes of urban renewal. Land is not earmarked for night shelters
and community toilets. The zonal plans also do not refer to them..

It seems the problems of the shelterless, however economically serious and socially
acute, is not politically sensitive enough as the shelterless are hardly voters. They do
not have any permanent address or any identity card owing to their floating nature of
existence. Even if they are staying in the city for long and working almost in the same
place for years, they cannot come out of their rootless characteristics and make any
claim on the city assets. They constitute less than one percent of city population,
thereby also reducing their weightage as vote banks. Hence, their voice is largely
unheard even though their absolute number is significant.

The problems of shelter less is not only in terms of physical deprivation i.e., non-
availability of housing and infrastructure, but in terms of social exclusion as well. The
attempts to provide decent housing to the poor in the absence of adequate access to
educational or health facilities or livelihood options, they cannot come out of the
vicious cycle of poverty. They are often identified with crime, substance abuse and
all other negatives associated will bad development. The common characteristics of
large metropolises is spatial concentration of poverty, deprivation and human
suffering in terms of social exclusions, employment, indebtedness and
houselessness. At the heart of this process is the issue of land ownership, the right
of land and the right to the city.

The shelterless has common access to the market of leftovers in downtown areas of
the cities where things are discarded. Exclusion has provoked the re-creation of
urban space, where the shelterless builts his home and establishes his place in the
world. The vehicle used for livelihood purpose is one example of such recreation. It
combines both functions-a work tool to pick up human beings or materials and a
place to sleep. The shelterless keeps his personal belonging in the rickshaw, use it
for livelihood and sleeps in it. It is his rootlessness character that prevents him to find
a place in the society and to be integrated in the mainstream development process.
Recommendations

Construction of night shelters at rapid pace is the prior requirement for the
shelterless. At present, these shelters accommodate less than 8 per cent of
the total shelterless in Delhi.
Proper maintenance facilities in these shelters is a priority. These can be
implemented with involvement of community-based organizations.
There are significant employment generation possibilities through these
welfare services. Involvement of slum women in maintenance and
supervisory activities in night shelters may be considered.
The problem of lack of identification documents should be seriously
explored. They should get some kind of such document based on
photograph with primary data about him or her self even if they do not have a
permanent address. It is observed that generally the shelteress do not
change their place to sleep or occupation. They need some kind of identity in
order to establish credentials in work place or elsewhere.
Pay-and-use toilets and community toilets are need of the hour. These are
the only means of providing sanitation to them. These should be constructed
in time-bound manner and maintenance should be given to CBOs, rather
than any single organization. The government need to revamp its monitoring
activities in this regard.
It is a welcome sign that Delhi Master Plan 2021 has considered construction
of more night shelters in crowded places. It is hoped that proper sites will be
identified shortly and construction should begin immediately.
The shelterless are not aware about night shelter schemes. The DSW should
take proper initiative to popularize these schemes as and when they are
available.
Adult literacy programmes need to include the shelterless with proper value
addition to their lives. The illiterate adult should be able to realize some
economic benefits of literacy. They may be involved in maintenance of
community assets and be paid for these activities. The services of the elderly
may be considered in these programmes.
The welfare programmes like Stree Shakti Camps should include the
shelterless women as major beneficiaries.
Active government participation is required in spreading informal education at
all level. The employers should be encouraged to be involved in such
programmes with some tax benefits. We are used to offer huge tax subsidies
to the SEZs all over the country. It is high time to link up welfare activities to
tax subsidies.
There should be a regular census of shelterless persons every three years in
order to estimate their size and measure to what extent, development
policies have been able to be inclusive. Local bodies may take up these tasks
at ward level.
The states are gearing to develop sophisticated database for getting benefits
under the JNNURM. This opportunity should be exploited in removing the
symptom of shelterlessness in a time bound manner.
The state and the local bodies should prepare a time bound action plan with
proper monitoring mechanism to deal with the problem of shelterless.
The shelterless need to be included in the implementation welfare policies.
They should not be only at the receiving end.

References
1. Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan, 2001, The Capital’s Homeless

2. Census Of India 1991, Instructions to enumerators for filling up the household

schedule and individual slip, Office of the Registrar General and Census
Commissioner for India, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi.

3. DDA, 1989. “Survey of Pavement Dwellers in Old Delhi”, unpublished study, Slum
and Jhuggi-Jhopri Department, Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi.

4. DDA, 1990. Master Plan for Delhi-2001, Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi.

5. Dupont (V), Tingal (D), 1997 “Residential and Economic Practices of Pavement
Dwellers in Old Delhi”, Institute of Economic Growth, Working paper series,
No.F/186/97, Delhi.

6. Gupta (D.B.) Kaul (S), Pandey (R), 1993, Housing and India’s Urban Poor, Har
Anand Publications, New Delhi.

7. Jain (A.K.), 1996, The Indian Megacity and Economic Reforms, Management
Publishing Co., New Delhi.

8. Kundu (A), 1993, In the Name of the Urban Poor - Access to Basic Amenities, Sage,
New Delhi.

9. Kurvilla (J), 1990-91, “Pavement Dwelling in Metropolitan Cities - Case study Delhi”.
Thesis, School of Planning and Architecture, Deptt. of Housing, New Delhi, Mimeo.

10. NIUA, 1986, Dimension of Urban Poverty - A Situational Analysis. National Institute
of Urban Affairs, Research Study Series No. 25, New Delhi.

11. NIUA, 1989, Profile of the Urban Poor: An Investigation into their Demographic,
Economic and Shelter Characterstics, National Institute of Urban Affairs, Research
Study Series No. 40, New Delhi.

12. SPARC, 1985, “We the Invisible”, Report on Pavement Dwellers in Bombay, SPARC,
Bombay.
 ANNEXURE

Annexure 1: Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Migration

Central East New North North North South South West Total Total
State Delhi East West West (%) (N)
AP 0.41 0.50 0.00 0.07 0.09 0.38 0.07 0.00 0.41 0.23 109
Assam 0.07 0.05 0.61 0.82 0.00 1.08 2.10 1.24 0.57 0.86 403
Blhar 28.57 25.55 36.61 31.90 25.12 36.47 29.46 32.50 31.79 30.92 14465
Chttishgharh 0.15 1.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.02 0.18 82
Delhi 1.14 1.22 1.82 2.27 1.41 1.24 1.57 1.10 1.56 1.51 708
Gujarat 0.02 0.16 0.36 0.08 0.07 0.00 0.35 0.29 0.16 0.14 66
Haryana 0.65 1.06 1.52 1.04 0.48 0.68 0.30 0.62 0.53 0.68 320
HP 0.09 0.21 0.00 0.01 0.11 0.18 0.00 0.10 0.16 0.09 44
Jharkhand 2.78 0.45 1.70 1.88 1.38 1.22 2.03 1.43 2.03 1.72 805
JK 0.63 0.21 0.00 0.37 0.00 0.20 0.03 0.10 0.16 0.21 99
Karnatka 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.30 0.43 0.00 0.06 0.00 1.05 0.21 99
Kerala 0.13 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.14 0.04 20
Maharastra 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.34 0.04 17
MP 12.85 7.91 8.01 10.29 7.37 8.84 9.77 13.81 13.47 10.19 4766
Nepal 0.02 0.05 0.12 0.22 0.32 0.08 0.07 0.14 0.00 0.11 51
Orrisa 1.05 0.40 1.03 1.46 0.59 0.96 1.54 0.96 1.42 1.13 528
Punjab 0.50 0.34 0.00 1.27 0.95 0.25 0.54 0.00 0.69 0.59 278
Rajasthan 5.38 11.58 4.43 4.94 11.73 9.80 5.80 4.83 3.96 7.07 3310
TN 0.07 0.00 0.18 0.07 0.00 0.08 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.05 24
UP 38.05 44.88 35.40 36.41 42.34 34.32 36.92 37.57 35.59 37.49 17540
Uttranchal 0.46 0.13 0.00 0.42 0.59 0.15 0.12 0.10 0.61 0.31 143
WB 6.99 3.91 8.20 6.16 7.01 4.05 8.92 5.16 5.34 6.22 2911
Total(%) 11.59 8.08 3.52 15.61 9.42 18.03 18.43 4.47 10.84 100.00 46788
Total(N) 5425 3781 1647 7305 4407 8435 8625 2092 5071 46788
 Annexure Table II:
Location of Homeless Persons and the Night Shelters

District Areas of Major Homeless Location of Capacity Managed by

Concentration of Persons Night Shelters (No)
Homeless Persons (No.)

Central Ajmeri Gate 5425 1. Jhandenwala 60 Aashray

Road Adhikar
Abhiyan
(AAA)—(T)
Asaf Ali Raod
Dariyaganj
Dev Nagar
Jhandenwala 2. Jhandenwala 60
Road AAA (T)
Karol Bagh
Meena Bazar
Minto Road
Moti Nagar 3. Karol Bagh 50
AAA(T)
Nanak Pura
New Delhi Railway 4. Yamuna Pusta 400
Station AAA (T)
Paharganj
Turkman Gate 5. Ram Nagar 70
AAA (T)
Yamuna Pusta
East Akshardham Mandir 3781 6. Roshenara 250 MCD Slum
Road Wing (P)
Anand Vihar
Church Mission 7.Church Mission 500
Road Road AAA (T)
Geeta Colony
Ganesh Nagar
Jhilmil
Karkardooma
Kirti Nagar
Kondli Sabji Mandi
Krishna Nagar
Laxmi Nagar
Mayur Vihar
Noidamore
Preet Vihar
Roshanara Park
Trilokpuri
Vivek Vihar,
Vishwas Nagar
New Bapudham 1647 8.Hanuman Mandir 150 Kirandeep
Delhi Sharaan (T)
Bangla Shahib
Gole Market
Hanuman Manidr
Mandir Marg
Rajeev Chowk
 Contd.
District Areas of Major Homeless Location of Capacity Managed by
Concentration of Persons Night Shelters (No)
Homeless Persons (No.)
Shankar Market
North Anand Parvat 7305 9.Delhi Gate 80 MCD Slum
Wing (P)
Andha Mughal
Chandni Chowk
Delhi Gate 10. Rani Jhansi 60 MCD Slum
Road Wing (P)
Jama Masjid
11. Lahori Gate 250 MCD Slum
Wing (P)
Jamuna Bazzar
Kamla Nagar 12.Chadni Chowk 200
AAA (P)
Kauria Bridge
Khari Baoli
Khoya Mandi
Lahori Gate 13. Mori Gate 50
AAA(T)
Lal Qila
Majnu ka Tila 14. Mori Gate 400
AAA (T)
Mukharji Road
Purani Delhi 15. Old Delhi 60
Railway Station Railway Station AAA (T)
Rani Jhansi Road
Sadar Market
Shakti Nagar
Yamuna Bridge 16. Malka Ganj 150
AAA (T)

North Babarpur 4407 17. Shahadra 40 MCD Slum

East Wing (P)
Bhajanpura
D.U.
G.T. Road Flyover
Gagan Vihar
Gokul Puri
I.S.B.T.
Loni Border 18. Nand Nagri 100
AAA (T)
Nand Nagri
Seelampur
Seema Puri
Shahadra
North Aadarsh Nagar 8435 19. Shehzada Bagh 200 MCD Slum
West Wing (P)
Ambedkar Nagar
Azadpur
Daya Basti
Dhaka Colony
 Contd.
District Areas of Major Homeless Location of Capacity Managed by
Concentration of Persons Night Shelters (No)
Homeless Persons (No.)
J.J. Colony
Kashmere Gate 20. Kashmere 200
Gate AAA (T)
Lawrance Road
Mukharji Nagar
S.P. Mukharji Road 21. Jahangir Puri 100 MCD Slum
Wing (P)
Shehzada Bagh
Salimar Bagh
Sant Nagar
Sarai Rohila
Shadipur
Shakar Pur

Trinagar
Wazirapur
South Amar Colony 8625 22. Nizammuddin 120 MCD Slum
Basti Wing (P)

Ashram
Badarpur
Bhogal
Chhatar Pur
Chirag Delhi
Govind Puri
Hauj Khas
Kalkaji
Kasturba Nagar
Lajpat Nagar
Lodhi Road
Nehru Place
Nijamuddin
Okhla Sabji Mandi
Sangam Vihar
Sarita Vihar
Sundar Nagar
South Inder Puri 2092
West
Kabul Nagar
Madhu Vihar
Munirka
Narayana
Sadh Nagar
Vasant Vihar
 Contd.
District Areas of Major Homeless Location of Capacity Managed by
Concentration of Persons Night Shelters (No)
Homeless Persons (No.)
West Ghanta Ghar 5071 23. Raja Garden 100 MCD Slum
Wing (P)
Hari Nagar
Zakhira Bridge
Janakpuri
Mangol Puri 24. Mangol Puri 100 MCD Slum
Wing (P)
Maya Puri
Najafghad
Netaji Subhash
Marg
Patel Nagar
Piragadi
Pitampura
Raja Garden
Rajinder Nagar
Rajouri Garden
Uttam Nagar
Total 46788 24 3696(7.89%)
Note; P—permanent, T—temporary. Temporary shelters are operational for 3 months during winter in a year.

Annexure III : Districtwise Distribution of Shelterless Persons by Education

Level- Women
(6 years and above)
District Illiterate Upto Primary Primary Secondary Graduate & Total
Above
N % N % N % N % N % N %
Central 652 73.59 217 24.49 9 1.02 8 0.90 0 0.00 886 12.37
East 614 78.92 134 17.22 27 3.47 3 0.39 0 0.00 778 10.86
New Delhi 238 72.56 87 26.52 3 0.91 0 0.00 0 0.00 328 4.58
North 848 74.32 263 23.05 26 2.28 4 0.35 0 0.00 1141 15.92
North East 612 80.85 129 17.04 13 1.72 3 0.40 0 0.00 757 10.57
North West 844 76.59 236 21.42 19 1.72 3 0.27 0 0.00 1102 15.38
South 984 75.11 303 23.13 17 1.30 6 0.46 0 0.00 1310 18.28
South West 164 69.49 64 27.12 7 2.97 1 0.42 0 0.00 236 3.29
West 495 78.95 127 20.26 5 0.80 0 0.00 0 0.00 627 8.75
Total 5451 76.08 1560 21.77 126 1.76 28 0.39 0 0.00 7165 100.00
Annexure IV: Districtwise Distribution of Occupational Classification
(above 14 years)

Occupation District
Centra East New North North North South South West Total Total
l Delhi East West West N
Ricksha Puller 33.36 31.09 22.58 31.86 32.69 27.72 25.13 35.81 35.27 30.27 13169
Construction Labour 33.32 39.13 37.54 39.09 33.47 40.65 42.16 43.48 41.83 39.20 17054
Coolie 6.36 1.31 0.00 1.31 0.30 0.58 0.61 0.00 0.42 1.34 583
Loader 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05 21
Begger 10.42 1.15 18.84 7.89 6.81 5.25 15.13 3.55 7.69 8.59 3738
Rag Picker 4.89 3.67 5.81 4.58 8.05 5.11 4.82 6.85 4.99 5.20 2262
Unemployed 0.16 0.88 1.14 1.71 0.97 0.92 0.63 0.93 1.61 0.99 429
Vegetable, Fruits and Ice
Cream 0.26 0.52 1.07 0.06 0.30 2.40 0.94 0.00 0.65 0.83 362
Domestic Help 2.29 6.44 1.87 2.83 4.94 2.00 1.45 1.08 1.63 2.58 1123
Self Employed 7.53 12.23 10.82 9.31 10.70 14.32 7.99 6.65 5.58 9.65 4200
Student 0.06 0.12 0.00 0.03 0.07 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.04 0.04 16
Others 1.36 3.46 0.33 1.30 1.70 0.80 1.15 1.55 0.29 1.25 545
Total 5075 3294 1497 6785 4010 8037 8077 1941 4786 43502 43502

Annexure V: District-wise Distribution of Occupational Classification Male

(Above 14 years)
Occupation Central East New North North North South South West Total
Delhi East West West Total
Ricksha Puller 38.78 37.77 26.35 35.86 37.53 30.74 28.56 39.64 39.27 34.41 12761
Construction Labour 32.08 38.56 36.70 38.09 33.64 40.22 41.09 40.22 40.08 38.27 14192
Coolie 7.27 1.59 0.00 1.46 0.36 0.67 0.71 0.00 0.45 1.52 563
Loader 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.05 17
Begger 9.28 0.87 18.06 7.18 6.47 4.39 13.79 3.80 7.10 7.80 2891
Rag Picker 4.64 3.33 5.67 4.78 8.08 4.97 4.96 7.02 4.87 5.17 1918
Vegetable, Fruits and Ice
Cream 0.21 0.49 1.15 0.03 0.36 2.12 0.94 0.00 0.52 0.77 286
Domestic Help 0.05 0.64 0.33 0.28 0.09 0.11 0.20 0.12 0.14 0.19 72
Self Employed 6.42 12.02 9.93 8.93 10.63 14.74 7.76 6.33 5.51 9.42 3493
Student 0.07 0.15 0.00 0.02 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.12 0.05 0.04 15
Others 1.01 3.63 0.41 1.51 1.92 0.83 1.25 1.73 0.29 1.30 481
Unemployed 0.19 0.95 1.40 1.84 0.84 1.00 0.73 1.04 1.71 1.06 394
Total 4265 2645 1218 5770 3341 7017 6880 1738 4209 37083 37083
 Annexure VI: District-wise Distribution of Occupational Classification: Female
(Above 14 years)

Occupation Central East New North North North South South West Total
Delhi East West West Total
Ricksha Puller 4.81 3.85 6.09 9.16 8.52 6.96 5.43 2.96 6.07 6.36 408
Construction Labour 39.88 41.45 41.22 44.73 32.59 43.63 48.29 71.43 54.59 44.59 2862
Coolie 1.60 0.15 0.00 0.49 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.17 0.31 20
Loader 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.39 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.06 4
Begger 16.42 2.31 22.22 11.92 8.52 11.18 22.81 1.48 11.96 13.20 847
Rag Picker 6.17 5.08 6.45 3.45 7.92 6.08 4.01 5.42 5.89 5.36 344
Unemployed 0.00 0.62 0.00 0.99 1.64 0.39 0.08 0.00 0.87 0.55 35
Vegetable, Fruits and Ice
Cream 0.49 0.62 0.72 0.20 0.00 4.31 0.92 0.00 1.56 1.18 76
Domestic Help 14.07 30.05 8.60 17.34 29.15 15.00 8.60 9.36 12.48 16.37 1051
Self Employed 13.33 13.10 14.70 11.53 11.06 11.47 9.27 9.36 6.07 11.01 707
Student 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 1
Others 3.21 2.77 0.00 0.10 0.60 0.59 0.58 0.00 0.35 1.00 64
Total 810 649 279 1015 669 1020 1197 203 577 6419 6419

Annexure VII: District-wise Distribution of Occupational Classification of Children

(5 to 14 years)
Central East New North North North South South West Total Total
Occupation Delhi East West West
Ricksha Puller 10.22 5.03 6.80 6.78 13.04 9.09 8.18 3.45 11.67 8.43 247
Construction Labour 44.89 33.17 59.86 39.62 37.68 39.00 51.70 66.90 45.53 43.97 1288
Coolie 1.55 0.00 0.00 1.27 0.00 0.88 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.48 14
Begger 10.22 1.26 17.69 16.53 4.06 10.56 9.58 3.45 11.67 9.39 275
Rag Picker 4.02 2.01 0.68 4.66 3.48 9.09 4.39 9.66 4.67 4.61 135

Vegetable, Fruits and 1.24 1.51 1.36 0.00 0.58 1.47 0.40 0.00 0.78 0.79 23
Ice Cream
Domestic Help 1.86 7.04 2.72 3.60 3.19 2.35 2.00 2.76 1.95 3.18 93
Self Employed 5.26 18.34 4.08 5.93 11.88 6.45 9.38 4.83 4.28 8.60 252
Student 1.24 2.51 0.00 0.42 1.74 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.39 0.79 23
Others 15.79 24.13 4.76 12.71 18.26 14.37 11.78 6.9 8.56 14.24 417
Unemployed 3.72 5.03 2.04 8.47 6.09 6.74 2.59 2.07 10.51 5.53 162
Total 323 398 147 472 345 341 501 145 257 2929 2929
 Annexure VIII: District-wise Distribution of Occupational Classification: Male
(5 to 14 years)

Occupation Central East New North North North South South West Total
Delhi East West West Total
Ricksha Puller 18.26 10.63 7.29 10.00 19.12 12.45 10.55 4.46 13.30 12.38 264
Construction Labour 46.06 35.83 61.46 42.94 37.85 40.08 55.67 68.75 48.28 46.46 991
Coolie 2.07 0.39 0.00 1.47 0.40 1.17 0.00 0.00 0.49 0.75 16
Begger 10.79 1.57 18.75 15.00 5.18 7.78 10.03 4.46 11.82 9.33 199
Rag Picker 4.98 3.15 1.04 4.71 4.38 10.51 4.75 12.50 3.45 5.34 114
Vegetable, Fruits and Ice
Cream 0.83 2.36 2.08 0.00 0.40 0.78 0.26 0.00 0.99 0.75 16
Domestic Help 2.07 0.79 0.00 2.65 0.80 0.39 0.53 0.89 0.99 1.13 24
Self Employed 4.56 23.62 6.25 6.18 14.74 6.23 10.03 3.57 4.93 9.52 203
Student 1.66 2.76 0.00 0.29 2.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.49 0.94 20
Others 0.41 5.51 0.00 0.29 2.39 0.39 1.06 1.79 0.00 1.36 29
Unemployed 8.30 13.39 3.13 16.47 11.95 20.23 7.12 3.57 15.27 12.05 257
Total 241 254 96 340 251 257 379 112 203 21332133

Annexure IX: District-wise Distribution of Occupational Classification: Female

(5to 14 years)

Occupation Central East New North North North South South West Total
Delhi East West West Total
Ricksha Puller 6.10 4.86 7.84 2.27 9.57 3.57 9.02 6.06 9.26 6.16 49
Construction Labour 58.54 48.61 62.75 40.15 47.87 44.05 50.82 72.73 48.15 49.87 397
Coolie 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.76 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.13 1
Begger 8.54 0.69 15.69 20.45 1.06 19.05 8.20 0.00 11.11 9.55 76
Rag Picker 1.22 0.00 0.00 4.55 1.06 4.76 3.28 0.00 9.26 2.64 21
Vegetable, Fruits and I
ce Cream 2.44 0.69 0.00 0.00 1.06 3.57 0.82 0.00 0.00 1.01 8
Domestic Help 1.22 18.75 7.84 6.82 11.70 8.33 9.02 9.09 7.41 9.67 77
Self Employed 12.20 18.75 1.96 6.06 20.21 9.52 10.66 12.12 9.26 11.93 95
Student 0.00 2.78 0.00 0.76 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.63 5
Others 1.22 1.39 0.00 0.00 1.06 1.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.63 5
Unemployed 8.54 3.47 3.92 18.18 6.38 5.95 8.20 0.00 5.56 7.79 62
Total 82 144 51 132 94 84 122 33 54 796 796

Annexure X: Duration of Stay as Shelterless

District Duration (years)
upto 1 1-3 3-5 5-10 10+ Total (%) Total (No)
Central 14.06 12.88 8.56 8.50 10.00 9.71 5425
East 4.69 7.58 8.56 8.15 13.33 8.86 3781
New Delhi 8.59 8.33 5.35 3.90 6.11 5.46 1647
North 14.06 19.70 14.17 10.33 20.00 14.27 7305
North East 13.28 15.53 14.44 15.38 12.78 14.62 4407
North West 14.06 18.56 14.97 19.63 13.61 17.18 8435
South 13.28 7.58 19.25 20.21 13.33 16.68 8625
South West 1.56 2.27 6.68 5.63 5.28 5.06 2092
West 16.41 7.58 8.02 8.27 5.56 8.16 5071
Total 128 264 374 871 360 1997 46788
% 6.41 13.22 18.73 43.62 18.03 100.00
 DATA BASE ON SHELTERLESS PERSONS IN DELHI
District: _____________
No. Area/ Name Sex Age Caste Religion Marital Education Occupation State of Reason for Duration Changing
Ward Status Origin Leaving home Of Stay as Sleeping
shelterless Place
(Months) In a year
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17