Suggested activities:

Visit a slum/poor locality in your village/city. List out the amenities provided to them. What do you suggest to improve their living conditions?

According to the 2011 census, the percentage of population living in slums has increased from 14.02 to 32.91 lakh. In this Bengaluru has 21.5% of the total slum population. It is followed by Bellary and Dharwad with 6.1% and 6% of the total slum population respectively. Out of the 220 towns, 206 is reported to have slums.

The slum dwellers in most cases will be living in utmost poverty. The following facilities are available to them nearby:

• Street lights at the end of each street

• A public health centre

• A government school

• Ration shop

• Cramped houses

The following steps can be adopted to improve their living conditions:

• Better city planning thereby properly constructing the city space to avoid the growth of slums.

• Better housing facilities.

• Better toilet facilities.

• Clean drinking water.

• Proper waste disposal facilities.

• More nutritious food.

• Development of parks and gardens and cleaning the slums.