Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board to carry out survey of slums and JJ cluster, involves student interns

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) is trying to seek the help of students in carrying out a survey to identify eligible beneficiaries under the slum and Jhuggi Jhopri (JJ) cluster rehabilitation policy, an official said on Monday, June 27. In this regard, to make students aware of this plan, the board has written to the vice-chancellors of Delhi University and Indraprastha University, as stated in a report by PTI.

DUSIB is a nodal agency of the Delhi government with the task of rehabilitation of eligible JJ colony dwellers under the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana. Explaining the process, a DUSIB official said, "We have a 2015 rehabilitation policy under which we have to first carry out a survey to identify the beneficiaries, meeting certain eligibility criteria laid down in the policy."

In 2016, the Delhi government approved the Delhi Slum and JJ Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2015, which focuses on in-situ (in original place) rehabilitation of those living in JJ slums. The policy has been renamed as Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana, as stated in a report by PTI.

Explaining the need to seek help from students, the official said, "There is a shortage of staff that's why we thought of asking the students, who might have some spare time on their hands, to join us. They will carry out the survey and get us the data we need. Our staff will be accompanying them and guiding them." They added, "We have received a few applicants over email from interested candidates." 

As per the notification released, applications are invited from postgraduate, graduate and final year undergraduate students of Political Science, Economics, Sociology, Mathematics and Statistics who will be engaged as interns. DUSIB will be hiring 50 interns who will be paid Rs 15,000 per month and will get a certification on completion of the internship. Before the commencement of the survey, the interns will also be given a two-day training, said the notice. Although the survey by DUSIB will go on till July 25, it was said that the date may be extended, if needed, according to public notice, as stated in a report by PTI.

Earlier in the month of February, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri, in a written reply, had informed the Lok Sabha that there are 675 listed and 82 unlisted JJ slums in the national capital built on those lands owned by various government agencies, including the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and DUSIB. The minister further said that even though land and colonisation are state subjects, the Centre is supplementing its efforts with central assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) (PMAY-U) scheme for the construction of houses for all eligible families/beneficiaries, including slum dwellers, since June 25, 2015.

The Union Government, under the In-situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) component of its PMAY-U Mission, gives states assistance of Rs 1 lakh per house.