International Journal of Advanced Research and Development

Authors
Dr. Anju Bala

Abstract
The rapid growth of urban population poses serious challenges in terms of provision of basic minimum services. Slums are an outcome of an imbalance in urban growth resulting from over concentration of economic resources. Slum is a deprived human settlement, which is demographically, economically and environmentally vulnerable. Extreme overcrowding, high density and high levels of morality and typical demographic features, a large unorganized sector, low levels of productivity and extreme poverty are the usual economic feature and the lack of acc basic services like water, sanitary, electricity are the common features of slums. City attracts migrants from all the social and economic strata of the rural society but among these migrants, mostly those who are at the lowest economic ladder make slums as their abode. According to the 2011 census, 17.4 percent people are living in slums. The present paper is an attempt to discuss slums, their causes of emergence. An attempt has also been made to analyze the different programmes stated for slum improvement.