India on International Year of Shelter for Homeless
A special postage stamp on the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless (IYSH) 1987 :
Issued by India
Issued on Oct 5, 1987
Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a special stamp on the theme of International Year of Shelter for the Homeless.
Description of Designs : The design of the stamp has been prepared by India Security Press, Nashik Road, based on a design given by the Ministry of Urban Development. The design of the First Day Cover has also been prepared by the Ministry of Urban Development. The cancellation has been designed by Miss Nenu Bagga.
Type : Stamp, Postal Used
Colour : Multi Colour
Denomination : 500 Paise
Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.
Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Imported unwatermarked adhesive gravure coated stamp paper
Number printed : 15,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 35
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printed : India Security Press
About :
- The United Nations General Assembly has designated the year 1987 as the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. The two objectives of the year are:–i) to improve the shelter and neighbourhoods of some of the poor and disadvantaged by 1987, and
ii) to demonstrate, by the year 2000, ways and means of improving the shelter and neighbourhoods of the poor and disadvantaged.
- Government of India attaches the highest importance to the provision of shelter to the shelterless. Our Five Year Plans have always included provision of shelter as a priority item. In the new 20-Point Programme launched in 1982, point Numbers 9 & 10 focus attention on providing shelter and improvement of environment for poor people. In the 20-Point Programme, 1986:Point No. 14:
i) to make available house sites to the rural people,
ii) To expand programmes of house construction,
iii) to lay special emphasis on construction of houses for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes,
iv) to develop low cost building materials.Point No. 15:
a) to restrict the growth of slums,
b) to provide basic facilities in existing slum areas, and
c) to encourage planned house building in urban areas, aimed at improving the lot of the shelterless. - During the Sixth Five Year Plan and also during the first two years of the Seventh Five Year Plan, about 69 lakh house sites have been provided to the rural landless families and 26 lakh families have been provided with construction assistance. During the same period, 11 lakh units have been constructed under the Scheme of Housing for the economically weaker sections and 126 lakh slum dwellers have benefited under the Programme of Environmental Improvement of Urban Slums.
- In pursuance of IYSH, 1987, State Governments and Union Territory Administrations who are responsible for the implementation of the housing schemes have been requested to identify demonstration projects and implement the same. Most of the States have taken steps in this direction and schemes have been launched for alleviating housing shortage with particular emphasis on providing shelter to the homeless population. 187 projects under IYSH have also been sanctioned by HUDCO which will benefit a million persons.
- Indira Awas Yojana launched in 1985 envisages construction of 10 lakh houses for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes rural areas. So far about 3.25 lakh units have been sanctioned.
