[E&E seminars] Today - A Slum Free India? Engaging Residents in a New Era a New Plan

[MIT Energy Initiative]

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Slum Free India?

Engaging Residents in a New Era a New Plan

Monday, March 28th

12:00 PM Refreshments will be served  Room 32-155

 Abstract



The central Government of India (GOI) recently launched the Rajiv Awas
Yojana scheme with the objective of making India "slum free". The GOI
scheme asks state and local governments to adopt city-wide approaches
and to take decisive action in upgrading all slums. The national-level
political leadership, budgetary support, and nation-wide scale of this
scheme represent a significant step forward for the GoI and an
opportunity for creating tangible improvements for the urban poor.



However, the GOI will continue to be constrained in implementing such
schemes until the capacities of its planning, infrastructure, and
service delivery staff -- particularly at the municipal level -- are
raised to meet the requirements of the task at hand. Most municipal
governments are particularly weak in engaging, mobilizing and
dialoguing with slum communities and NGOs that can facilitate these
activities. Countless slum improvement projects have stalled or failed
as a result of this weakness.



Government alone cannot solve the slum problem no matter how big their
subsidies. It will require the private sector, from developers to
financiers, to help provide market-based affordable housing solutions
that reduce the housing deficit. It will require resources of slum
residents themselves to invest in and maintain infrastructure. And it
will require NGOs and other non-profit organizations to facilitate
solutions for the poor.



CHF International has been supporting GOI and civil society
stakeholders to advance the vision of RAY and implement meaningful,
community-driven solutions for urban poverty reduction. Join Brian
English, Country Director of CHF International-India, in a discussion
on how they have been advancing meaningful "participation" in
state-driven solutions and supporting thousands of urban poor to gain
more meaningful positions in the market-place and on the policy
agendas.



About the Speaker

Brian English is the Country Director for CHF International-India, an
international development organization founded in 1952. Mr. English has
implemented urban development programs in more an a dozen countries for
a diverse range of clients. Mr. English is a graduate of University of
Pennsylvania's graduate School of Design. Mr. English lives in
Bangalore, India.







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