NEW DELHI: The Centre has prepared a four-level administrative framework for successful implementation of “new urban poverty alleviation mission” aimed at “appreciable improvement” in the livelihoods of vulnerable groups within the informal sector such as construction workers, gig workers, waste workers, care workers, domestic workers, and transportation workers.
The three-month pilot project, on the lines of National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) launched last month, is underway in 25 cities.
The secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is the chairman of the national level — advisory and review committee — and the joint secretary heads the directorate of National Mission, which is supported by the National Mission Management Unit.
The unit comprises 14 mission managers, including a team leader. They are supported by other staff; community resource persons and community supervisors besides state, district and city level administrators. Similarly, in states, there is a high power committee chaired by the chief secretary, district level panel is headed by district commissioner and in cities, urban level bodies committee’s chairperson is the municipal commissioner or executive officer.
The workers engaged in precarious jobs with low wages, hazardous conditions, and limited access to social protection will be the primary beneficiaries of the new scheme. A pilot spanning over three months was launched on October 1 to ensure effective implementation in 25 cities; industrial hubs, migrant centres, aspirational districts, and port towns.
The officials said that the mission managers would serve as the backbone of the initiative, driving its core activities and facilitating ‘meaningful change’ in the lives of the communities of the urban poor.
“Their responsibilities span a wide range of crucial areas, including community mobilisation, facilitating financial linkages, enterprise development, and capacity building of the beneficiaries...The Mission Managers will provide strategic leadership, ensuring the Mission’s objectives are met efficiently.
They will work closely with the frontline facilitators — the Mission Executives, community supervisors, and CRPs to implement activities on the ground, including linking communities with financial institutions, promoting entrepreneurship, and securing access to social security entitlements for the underserved populations,” said officials.
Under the Mission — aligned to the sustainable development goals and to deal with critical challenges faced by urban poor — the focus is on vulnerable groups, often marginalised within the broader labour market.