With a significant proportion of India's population expected to live in urban areas by 2030, the welfare of the urban poor needs to take centre-stage in public policy. Discuss. (Answer in 250 words)

According to World Urban Prospects, around 50% of Indian population will live in urban areas by 2030.

Urban Poor need to be prioritised because:

1.1 Uneconomic workhouse but living conditions are poor Eg: Dharavi, Mumbai

2.1 sustainable cities can only be built with reduction in urban poverty

3.1 Around 150 million people (agiest) line around 75 urban centres

3.2 Urban poor are mostly migrants from rural areas → Prosperity of urban poor is limited by skills, social capital

1.1 Affordable housing → PMAY-Urban

1.2 Housing with facilities → Jal Jeevan Mission, 'Paani Samhti'

2.1 Mohella Clinics

2.2 Primary health centres (PHCs) → PHC in urban areas are 1/7 of rural PHCs in number

3.1 Increasing efficiency of PDS

3.2 One Nation One Ration Card

3.3 food grain allotment on basis of urban needs (egcalorie consumption especially from rural migrant)

4.1 for emerging challenges in digital economy, IR4.0

4.2 recognition of prior learning

5.1 gig economy → Please Journalism

5.2 increase in morbidification → Involve local bodies in URBs

Cities are the engines of growth. It is essential that fte urban poor are focused upon to enable engines of cities to take India to new destinations.

2.1 Mohella Clinics

2.2 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) → PHC in urban areas are 1/7 of rural PHCs in number

3.1 Increasing efficiency of PDS

3.2 One Nation One Ration Card

3.3 food grain allotment on basis of urban needs (egcalorie consumption especially from rural migrant)

4.1 for emerging challenges in digital economy, IR4.0

4.2 recognition of prior learning

5.1 gig economy → Please Journalism

5.2 morbidification → Involve local bodies in URBs

Cities are the engines of growth. It is essential that the urban poor are focused upon to enable engines of cities to take India to new destinations.

— Suvan Sharma · AIR 148