-The Business Standard 8.8 million households live in 33,150 urban slums   It might be difficult to believe but there were less numbers of slums in urban India in 2012 than three years earlier. The number came down by 32.3 per cent to 33,150 in urban parts in 2012, compared with 49,000 in 2009, official data issued on Tuesday show. However, at least 12 per cent of the urban population...

-The Hindu New data on the status of drinking water and sanitation released by the National Sample Survey Organisation on Tuesday indicated a far better state of affairs than that detailed in the 2011 Census. Conducted just a year after the Census, the 69th round of the National Sample Survey found significantly better levels of access to drinking water and toilets. Over 46 per cent of households in rural India and...

-Press Information Bureau (MoSPI) The National Sample Survey Office (nssO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the key indicators of drinking water, sanitation, hygiene and housing condition in India, generated from the data collected in its 69th round survey during July 2012 to December 2012. Some of these subjects were covered in 65th round of nss (July 2008- June 2009). Housing is a basic necessity of human well-being. Along with...

-Press Information Bureau (MoSPI) The National Sample Survey Office (nssO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released the key indicators of urban slums in India, generated from the data collected in its 69th round survey during July 2012 to December 2012. The last survey on slums was conducted as part of the 65th round of nss (July 2008- June 2009). Slums are part of urban environment and they are identified by...

-The Times of India Shanti is a small, bird-like woman with unkempt grey hair, a wizened face and an innocent, trusting smile. The constant smile is remarkable because her life is unbelievably difficult. She lives in a mud hut in Katihar district of Bihar with her paralyzed husband. Her daughter has been married off and her son has "gone away somewhere to find work", never to return. She has no land,...