6. Slum Development Programme
The population has grown by leaps and bounds and the corresponding provision of
housing facilities has not kept abreast. Shortage of housing facilities has contributed
to the emergence of slums. At present there are 74 (64 recognised + 10 unrecognised)
slum localities with an approximately population of approx. 2,00,000 inside the
city Municipal limits.
The substantial increase in the city's population after independence made the city
stretch in every direction without a planned layout. The city started experiencing
ribbon development along the transportation corridors with poor quality dwellings.
Many of the public open spaces and river banks were occupied by migrants. A large
number of huts were erected without any supporting infrastructural facilities. Establishment
of industries in some areas fostered the growth of many more slums and squatter
houses in their vicinity. In spite of many physical developmental schemes undertaken
by the government, the slums became an unavoidable part of the city. Thus, the layout
of Rajkot, which was well planned in the grid-iron pattern with some open spaces
as lungs and a river bank water-front, started decaying with the emergence of slums.
Presence of squatter settlements made the city areas over-crowded, polluted the
environment and deteriorated the standards of living of the people.
The slums in Rajkot are experiencing a faster growth rate than that of the city
and many times that of the provision of facilities. There were 24 slums with 4927
households in Rajkot in 1972-73. At present, there are 74 slums with 28,000 households.
This indicates an increase of 468 per cent in slum population in just twenty-five
years.
The population in the slums varies from one locality to another.
Religion and caste play an important role in the social structure of the Rajkot
slums. This is normal from the nomenclature itself. Certain slum pockets are known
by the caste of its inhabitants. The majority (almost 90 per cent) of the slum dwellers
are Hindus, the remaining being Muslims & Christians.
In Rajkot slums, children below school going age form 8.91 per cent and older children
(above 6 years) form 3.67 per cent of the total population. The age group 5-17 pre-dominantly
consist of school going children and account for 22.7 per cent of the total population.
Primary and secondary education is free of cost. Rajkot Municipal Corporation runs
95 schools with Nagar Prathmik Sikshan Samiti. Most of these schools are situated
nearby slum areas so that the children from slum area can get the benefit. Adult
education programmes are being arranged under the UBS project through NGOs.
Many government schemes like "Suvarna Jayanti Rojgar Yojana (SJSRY)", training centers
for ladies, etc. are implemented by Rajkot Municipal Corporation funded by Municipal
Finance Board.
Almost all the slums are provided with basic infrastructure facilities like water
supply, drainage, street lights etc. as and when the funds are received under National
Slum Development Programme.