Equity and access to basic services : Issues and options

Abstract

Infrastructure and services are the most important factors determining the quality of environment of urban settlements. With the fast growth of urban population, there has been increasing need to expand the infrastructure and services at a rapid rate. Further, the slum population is growing twice as fast as the general rate of growth of the urban areas. Therefore, problems of providing services to the economically weaker sections assumed much importance. This paper analyses the present production and distribution strategies and their impact on the delivery of the economic and social services to the economically weaker sections of the society and raises issues in terms of pricing strategies, norms and standards, legal framework and the administrature machinery for planning and distribution.