3174 people are identified as homeless Updated On 2017-08-30
As part of the state government’s effort to draw up a sustainable housing programme for the shelter less in the state, Kudumbashree conducted a survey from 15-25 July 2017.
3174 people are identified as homeless from 93 Urban Local Bodies of 14 districts. Out of them, 2625 are gents, 564 are ladies and 6 are transgenders. Calicut is the Urban local body and Ernakulam is the district with maximum number of street dwellers. Out of the identified street dwellers 61 % are from the 17 urban local bodies -Calicut, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Sulthan Bathery, Kannur, Kollam, Thrissur, Kottayam, Palakkad, Thalassery, Vadakara, Kunnamkulam, Alappuzha, Chalakkudy, Kalpetta, Kazargode and Angamaly.
Half of the identified homeless are between the age limit of 41-60. It is understood that 2106 had been dwelling in the street for more than one year. 1465 are coolie workers, 221 people are street vendors and 679 people are beggars. Idukki district has the lowest number of urban homeless. There are only 38 street dwellers in Idukki. Pathanamthitta and Kasargode also holds comparatively lower number of Street dwellers. There are only 59 & 68 street dwellers in Pathanamthitta and Kazargode respectively.
The survey collected information about their age, marital status, income occupation, native place, health issues and problems faced by them during the late night hours. The identified homeless will then be provided with round-the-clock shelter homes equipped with essential services.
Sustainable shelter homes would be built in each urban centre across the state, according to the number of homeless identified in the survey.The shelter homes would provide adequate security, sanitation facilities and drinking water for the homeless people.
The 'Shelter for Urban Homeless' scheme is being implemented as part of the National Urban Livelihood Mission and Kudumbashree, the nodal agency of the program in the state. A team, comprising members of the National Urban Livelihood Mission, corporation, municipality, health department and the police, would conduct the survey. Inclusion cards were distributed to the people who were identified as homeless. The pilot study conducted to find the urban homeless had already identified 250 as homeless.