In the name of the urban poor: Access to basic amenities

by Amitabh Kundu

"The book is an extremely detailed investigation into the provision of shelter, water, sanitation and sewerage, health care, and foodgrains by the state to the urban poor of India. The book clearly presents the management form and programmatic initiatives of various arms of the Indian state." --Journal of Contemporary Asia Housing, clean water, sanitation, health care, and a viable public distribution system are all considered basic amenities. This lucid book analyzes the access of these amenities to India's urban poor. It provides an overview of the existing organizational structure which is responsible for the provision of such necessities. The author concludes that a system has not yet been designed to meet the minimum needs of the poor and that such a system is vulnerable to manipulation by vested interests. Through careful examination of specific schemes launched by the Indian government, the author notes that the stipulations built into these programs to enable access by the poor are, in fact, inadequate and superficial. "A rich empirical treatise on the state of urban poor in India. . . . The book is a must for all those who wish to sensitize themselves to the issues of social concern in India today." --Annals of the National Association of Geographers India

299 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1993