Rs 36,000 cr for basic services to urban poor, slums: PM

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said his government will invest Rs 36,000 crore in programmes for providing basic services to urban poor and development of slums.

In the annual report card of his government's performance, Singh said, "Of the projects sanctioned under the JNNURM so far, an investment of around Rs 36,000 crore is devoted to the programmes for basic services to urban poor and development of slums."

The UPA-II aims to make the country slum-free in the next five years under the Rajiv Awas Yojana for slum dwellers.

"Construction of around 1.5 million houses for the poor and slum dwellers has been approved," the report card states.

Under RAY, affordable housing would be provided to the urban poor and they would be given property rights as well.