Minister KTR wrote another letter to Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He said there was a need to introduce a special program for the urban poor in the country similar to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. It was asked to look into this matter in the coming budget meetings. Urbanization is a global trend. India is no exception.
According to the 2011 census, 31 per cent of the country’s population lives in towns. The letter mentioned that by 2030 it could reach 40 percent. In fast-growing states like Telangana, it is likely to cross 50 percent. He was of the opinion that special programs were needed to help the poor in the face of the influx of people to the towns.
KTR said special programs should focus on issues such as housing, drinking water supply, sanitation, health, education and social security for the urban poor. He said that if all these were properly provided for, they would have a chance to get a quality life. According to the Center for Monitoring the Indian Economy, the maximum unemployment rate between October 2019 and March 2021 was 21 per cent, according to KTR. He believes that it would be a boon to the urban poor in these situations. He said that if one-day employment is not available, the living conditions of the poor will be in jeopardy.
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KTR said any program similar to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme would be very beneficial to the poor. He urged to see to it that the conditions of migration to towns in other states for employment benefit any town anywhere in the country.
