Assn urges to improve land rights, housing for deprived communities

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In an aim to improve the basic amenities for deprived urban communities, an event “Where will the CityMaker stay?” organised by Slum Jana Sangathane and Action Aid Association in Bengaluru highlighted the need for land rights and housing.

Inaugurated by B Venkatesh, Commissioner of the Karnataka Slum Development Board, the two-day convention emphasised the urgent need to interlink government schemes, provide access to housing, and secure land rights for marginalised communities. T his convention by Slum Jana Sangathane and Action Aid Association also had testimonies shared regarding slum creation, evictions, and challenges caused by concentrated land ownership.

The speakers at the convention high lighted t he need to ha lt evictions and implement participatory rehabilitation policies. It also called for national frameworks on minimum housing standards and the proactive involvement of state governments in preparing people-centric legislation.

The need for a comprehensive approach to land rights, housing, and basic amenities forde prive durban communities was also highlighted along with participatory rehabilitation policies to be implemented, national frameworks on minimum housing standards to be developed, and state governments to be proactive in preparing people-centric legislation.

This convention brought together civil society leaders, policy makers, and academicians from 11 states across India. Over one lakh slum dwellers in Karnataka have been granted land titles in the past two years, following a government order issued in November 2020.