Community Approach to Integrated Basic Services Promoting Health and Livelihood for the Urban Poor - UNCHS Pilot Project: Lucknow, Rajkot, Visakhapatnam (Government of India - HABITAT, 1999, 90 p.): 5. Future Perspectives: 5.3 Sustainability

Community Approach to Integrated Basic Services Promoting Health and Livelihood for the Urban Poor - UNCHS Pilot Project: Lucknow, Rajkot, Visakhapatnam (Government of India - HABITAT, 1999, 90 p.)

(introduction...)

Message

Foreword

Preface

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

1.2 Poverty Alleviation Initiatives

1.3 Review and Rationalization of the Poverty Interventions

1.4 UNCHS - INDIA Partnership to fight poverty

1.5 The Co-operation

1.6 Implementation Strategy

1.7 City Level Implementation Activities

1.8 Distribution of Resources under SJSRY

1.9 Institutional Arrangements

1.10 Future Perspectives

2. Lucknow City Project

2.1 The City Profile

2.2 Socio-economic Profile

2.3 Infrastructure Arrangements

2.4 Institutional Arrangements, Management and Finance

2.5 Slum areas under UNCHS Programme

2.6 Strategies and Activities

3. Rajkot City Project

3.1 The City Profile

3.2 Socio-economic Profile of Slums

3.3 Infrastructure Arrangements

3.4 Institutional Arrangements, Management and Finance

3.5 Slum Areas under UNCHS Programme

3.6 Strategies and Activities

4. Visakhapatnam City Project

4.1 The City Profile

4.2 Socio-economic Profile

4.3 Infrastructure Arrangements

4.4 Institutional Arrangements, Management and Finance

4.5 Slum Areas under UNCHS Programme

4.6 Strategies and Activities

5. Future Perspectives

5.1 Project Gains

5.2 Strategy for Replicability

5.3 Sustainability

Abbreviations

5.3 Sustainability

The judicious management of funds with freedom of choice by the poor will happen only when they participate in the planning process thus enabling them to use the money with greater economy and financial leverage. The application of group intelligence helps to find better and practical ways to find use for money dedicated for improvement of their areas.

At the same time it is important to mobilise internal resources rather than looking for external subsidies or grants. Thrift and Credit Societies might help in improving the economic structure of the beneficiaries and their repaying capacities. Once the repaying capacities are increased, loans from development agencies like NABARD, HUDCO etc. could be mobilised. Thrift and Credit Societies are likely to establish and strengthen group dynamics as well as transparency in distribution as well as repayment of the seed capital. Recovery of cost from these societies will also be significantly high.

The key aspect of the present programme was the concept of convergence of programmes addressing the multiple problems of the urban poor, as also the independent efforts of the respective municipalities to improve slum areas. It is obvious that the removal of poverty entails physical, social, economic, health and environmental improvements. The UNCHS programme succeeded in involving the various agencies and other stakeholders in the pilot cities. The continuance of such co-ordinated efforts will go a long way in ensuring sustainability of future projects.