Message

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Urban areas in most countries are engines of the economic development. Cities are characterised by a wide range of economic activities and socio-economic groups. In many developing country cities, the problem of lack of basic services has not been effectively dealt with by the local civic administration. The availability of basic urban services is many a time organised in a haphazard and uncoordinated manner. There are special problems for settlements that are marginal to the fiscal and regulatory boundaries of the formal city. These are low income high density settlements which have minimal or low infrastructure and they also lack recognition by formal governments due to uncertain or illegal land tenure.

In the management and provision of basic services for the settlements community groups in developing countries have played a very major role in finding local solutions to their problems. Communities in many developing countries have demonstrated, that given the necessary support they can contribute significantly to the management of their infrastructure at the local level through community based management.

I am indeed happy that UNCHS and Government of India have jointly implemented a pilot project for the promotion of community approach to integrated basic services, promoting health and livelihood for the urban poor. The new approach being developed under this project will not only be useful to national and local governments but will also be beneficial to the inhabitants of the weaker urban settlements who are keen to improve their environment and generate income for their livelihood.

I am happy that these experiences have been documented and are being published for wider dissemination. I look forward to a much wider co-operation with the UNCHS in years to come.

Jagmohan
Minister
Urban Development
Government of India