Urban Poor Case Study

5. Direct and indirect impacts on the urban poor: The passing of the act and its subsequent implementation did not just not help in achieving the envisioned goal of the government, instead it created an artificial shortage in the land market (discussed below). With the government in hold of the acquired vacant lands and the private developers and owners not ready to declare the excess, a distortion was caused in the land market and mostly affecting the labors and people associated with the market. These had major socio-economic impact it on the beneficiary group that has been listed as:
• The group that suffered the greatest blow from the act were the farmers, people from economically weaker section, villagers etc. living and possessing

Actually of all the housing projects started under the motto of social benefit for the poor only few saw the completion and of those few only some were actually allotted the target group. Taking the example of the DDA again: During the year 1981-2000, it was expected that DDA would put 160,000 housing units into the market of which 70% was to be allocated to the poor, but it saw the construction of only 55,000 houses and of which only 58% was given to the urban poor.
• Thus the attempt of the act to create a ceiling and put a control on the land holding for a greater social and economic equity rather created a further divide and pressure on the land market, meanwhile further triggering the process and impacts of speculation.
6. Repeal of ULCRA: a solution to the problem? Upon realization of the failure of the purpose, ULCRA was repealed in the year 1999 by the Union government as an act of solution to the problems and weak links of the previous act. Currently for any urban areas to get funds under JNNURM, the act has to be repealed. The repeal of ULCRA aims to achieve certain targets such,
• Reviving the supply of land back into the market for transactions.
• The efficient supply would mean comparatively easy availability of land which would be of lower price in comparison to land available under previous