Census 2011 slum data
Topic: Geographical Issues: Pollution, Urban Waste, Slums and Land Degradation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Census 2011 counted about 6.5 crore people living in slums in 2,613 towns. That was about one in six people living in cities. A slum is a crowded area of poor housing that lacks clean water, toilets and light. The Census put slums into three groups:
- Notified: declared slums by state or local governments under law.
- Recognised: accepted as slums by government bodies, but not notified under law.
- Identified: found to be slums by Census officials during the count.
Maharashtra had the most slum dwellers.
Example
Dharavi in central Mumbai, Maharashtra, is often called Asia's largest slum. It stands on land reclaimed from an arm of the sea.
Don't confuse with
- Notified vs identified slum: a notified slum is declared by law. An identified slum is counted by Census officials but has no legal declaration.