Rajasthan has drafted a progressive policy that includes a broader definition of homeless people. But it falls short on other counts.
Rajasthan could soon become the first Indian state to draft a policy for the homeless. This could be a historic moment as homelessness is a public health crisis in India. It is caused by the negligence of the government since policies and funds for building shelters that ensure that homeless people get access to healthcare and social services do exist. Those policies came about in response to media reports of homeless deaths five years ago.
In the winter of 2010, the Supreme Court ordered cities to build one shelter for 100 homeless people per 100,000 residents – estimating 0.1% of people in Indian cities as homeless. Jaipur’s population of nearly 3.5 million, for example, mandates the city build 35 shelters for 3,500 people. The guideline is an underestimate since the 2011 Census counted 8,930 homeless people in Jaipur. Based on the census figures, which peg the number of homeless people at 938,348, and the total urban population at 377 million, 0.25% of urban India is officially homeless.
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