This thesis gives an overview of programs used by the Government of India, from independence until today, to improve conditions in the country's slums and critically analyzes the contents of India...Show moreThis thesis gives an overview of programs used by the Government of India, from independence until today, to improve conditions in the country's slums and critically analyzes the contents of India's current urban poverty alleviation and slum improvement program, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Housing for All). The aim of this analysis not only is to determine how well India's slum improvement policies help to improve the conditions in slums, but specifically how well these policies address the determinants of health in slums. The thesis argues that although in theory slum improvement programs can have a positive influence on determinants of health and well-being, in India, implementation of programs has been fraught with challenges and it is unlikely this will change anytime soon. A lack of political will seems to be one major reason for the absence of large-scale improvements in living conditions in India's slums.Show less
