India’s present urban system includes about 7933 cities and towns of varying population sizes, and many of these cities and towns are included in the massive expansion of urban growth that was registered over the 2001- 2011 decade. The United Nations estimates that most population increase in the future will be reported from the urban areas themselves –  by 2030, 165 million additional people are expected to be living in urban areas.

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With India becoming increasingly globalized and urban, there is also an increase in the number of poor people living here. As per the latest NSSO survey reports, there are over 80 million poor people living in the cities and towns of India. The Slum population is also increasing and as per TCPO estimates 2001, over 61.80 million people were living in slums. It is interesting to note that the ratio of urban poverty in some of the larger states is higher than that of rural poverty leading to the phenomenon of ‘Urbanization of Poverty. Urban poverty poses the problems of housing and shelter, water, sanitation, health, education, social security, and livelihoods along with special needs of vulnerable groups like women, children, and aged people. Poor people live in slums which are overcrowded, often polluted, and lack basic civic amenities like clean drinking water, sanitation, and health facilities. Most of them are involved in informal sector activities where there is the constant threat of eviction, removal, confiscation of goods, and almost non-existent social security cover.

                                                                                                                                   - Urban Poverty Report 2009

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SBM supports particularly urban slum dwellers, women & youth to attain sustainable livelihood opportunities by providing microfinance and infrastructure for new start-ups, skill development training for unemployed youth & women, and linking them to the job market.

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