Srinagar, Aug 9 (KNS): Jammu & Kashmir has 10,848 people living without any form of shelter in urban areas, according to the latest government data tabled in Parliament, a figure unchanged from the 2011 Census and now standing without an updated official count even as a key central scheme for urban homeless has wound up.

The numbers were revealed in a written reply in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, in response to a question on the status of urban homelessness across India. While the Centre acknowledged the problem, it reiterated that “urban poverty alleviation” is a subject under the jurisdiction of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

For Jammu & Kashmir, the figure means that more than ten thousand men, women and children are dependent on temporary arrangements often pavements, makeshift shacks or public spaces with no permanent address or access to stable housing.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The reply also confirmed that the Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) component of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), the primary central programme funding shelter homes, ended on September 30, 2024.

Under SUH, States and UTs were expected to provide permanent shelters with basic facilities like sanitation, healthcare linkages, and access to social security schemes. For every one lakh urban residents, a minimum of 100 shelter beds was mandated.

The guidelines mandated quarterly quality audits, annual social audits, and third-party evaluations of shelter homes, but the ministry’s reply did not disclose the findings for J&K.