India News | NHRC Expresses Concern over Living Conditions of Mumbai Slum Dwellers

New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) The National Human Rights Commission has expressed concern over the living conditions of slum dwellers in Mumbai and sought a "comprehensive report" from the Centre, officials said on Friday.

In a statement, the NHRC said that acting on a complaint in this connection, it had issued notices to the government of Maharashtra and the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs seeking their responses.

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The Government of Maharashtra responded, through its chief secretary, that several efforts have been made and schemes formulated to provide dwelling units to the slum dwellers for economically weaker sections with the state and central assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojna-Urban (PMAY-U). Shortage of funds has been cited as a constraint, it said

The Centre on its part responded that out of 2.24 lakh houses in Maharashtra, 2 lakh were sanctioned for Mumbai alone, out of which 58,225 have been grounded, the rights panel said in its statement on Friday.

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The Commission has sought a comprehensive report from the Secretary, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. He has been given four weeks' time, the statement said.

The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs vide its communication dated December 3 2021, "submitted that the land and colonisation are State subjects".

Quoting the communication, the rights panel said the Centre is augmenting the efforts of the State to meet the housing needs of economically weaker sections in urban areas through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Urban (PMAY-U).

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)