Urban Poverty and Slum Development: An Empirical Case Study of Asansol, West Bengal, India

Abstract

There are several facets to social development, including the chance for high-quality education, the acceleration of social integration, the promotion of productive employment, and the eradication of poverty.  This study aims to examine the demographic, socio-economic, environmental, and health conditions of slum dwellers in Asansol, West Bengal, India. For the present study, 300 samples have been chosen through a random sampling method for the present research. Data is also collected and compiled from the books, reports, published and unpublished papers, leaflets, booklets, notes, Municipal records and Governmental circulars. Social development requires the poor to have access to resources for economic well-being and demands deliberate expenditures in social services, health, and education. Large shopping malls, multiplexes, skyscrapers, and opulent flyovers are all examples of the enormous development that major Indian cities are displaying. Slums are springing up everywhere because there is a severe lack of affordable housing for the poor, and the government is doing little to guarantee this. The people in slums live under the most deplorable conditions, with little access to effective social and health care services, potable water, or sanitation facilities and are therefore more vulnerable to epidemics and developmental challenges. It is also clear from the analysis that the majority of the workers are engaged in the informal sector or informal employment, which is accessed through various informal channels or networks of information flow designated as ‘social capital’. Moreover, vulnerability in respect of health arises from the under-funding of the public health system and its inability to provide comprehensive care, which is a major concern for the majority of the population.  It was concluded that to foster inclusive growth so as to cover the urban poor, too, some interventions are required to make urban livelihoods qualitative.