Though there is an economic boom in India there is a flipside to it too. According to estimates there are 80.7 million urban poor in India and a housing shortage of 24.7 million, says Kumari Selja, minister of state (independent charge), housing and urban poverty alleviation. In conversation with Yeshi Seli, she points out there are-many schemes which have been floated by her ministry to reverse this situation There has been an unabated growth of urban population leading to housing shortages.What is being done about it? Under a scheme launched by our ministry, Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (jnnurm), we aim to construct 1.5 million houses for the urban poor under Basic Services to the Urban Poor (bsup) mission. This would be applicable in 63 identified cities. We are also in the process of launching an Interest Subsidy Scheme, which will provide subsidy on interest on loan taken by economically weaker sections. Other measures include pursuing with the private sector to construct houses for the poor. A reform under jnnurm stipulates that 20 to 25 per cent of developed land in both public and private housing colonies should be reserved for the poor. What steps have been taken to bridge the gap between demand and supply of infrastructure services? While Urban Infrastructure Governance (uig) aims to provide city-wide infrastructure facilities with Additional Central Assistance in 63 identified mission cities, Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (uidssmt) sub-mission aims to provide same facilities to cities and towns other than 63 cities mentioned above. Besides, there is bsup submission to provide basic services to the urban poor, which also include affordable housing in the 63 mission cities. What about other cities? Housing and infrastructure facilities to the urban poor in other cities and towns are provided under the Integrated Housing & Slum Development Programme (ihsdp). It is ensured that city-wide infrastructure facilities are linked to slum level infrastructure networks so that the poor/slum dwellers get benefit from the city development process.To provide healthcare and education facilities, the state-level nodal agencies and urban local bodies are required to integrate bsup and ihsdp with the National Rural Health Mission (under which urban hospitals and health facilities are being created) and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programmes of the Central government. What are the main points of the National Slum Development Programme? The National Slum Development Programme (nsdp) aimed at providing basic amenities to slum-dwellers - upgradation of urban slums by providing facilities like water supply, storm water drainage, widening of roads, sewers, community lighting, street lighting, etc. The scheme has been merged with jnnurm after its launch on 3 December, 2005. Under basic services to urban poor we provide integrated development of slums, maintenance of basic services to the urban poor; slum improvement & rehabilitation projects and water supply/sewerage/ drainage, community toilets/baths. What is the night shelter scheme for urban poor all about? The scheme of night shelters for the urban poor has been promoted under Swarana Jayanti Shahari Rozgar Yojana (sjsry). The performance is varied. Some states have implemented the scheme excellently while others could not be able to do so. Under jnnurm and sjsry, we are promoting construction of night shelters, wherever required. This scheme was launched in 1988-89 to provide some kind of shelter to the urban poor. It was further modified in August 1992 to cover all urban centres having concentration of footpath dwellers/ homeless and renamed as Scheme for Shelter & Sanitation Facilities for Footpath Dwellers. A Central government subsidy of 50 per cent of the cost of construction subject to cost ceiling of Rs20,000 per bed was provided through hudco. The balance was required to be arranged by the state government/implementing agency. How successful is it? The scheme was demand-driven and progress of the scheme depended on the proposals mooted by state governments' implementing agencies. As this scheme did not receive appreciable response in 2005-06, the Planning Commission decided to transfer it to state sector. Since then, no Central subsidy has been released under this scheme. The outlay approved under Night Shelter Scheme for the 10th Five Year Plan was of Rs30.97 crore.