Jammu Kashmir has 10,848 urban homeless individuals, according to the latest figures presented in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on February 10, 2025.
The data, sourced from the Primary Census Abstract: Houseless Population, Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, highlights the growing challenge of providing adequate shelter for vulnerable communities in the region.
Across India, the total urban homeless population stands at 9,38,348, with the highest numbers reported in Uttar Pradesh (1,80,929), Maharashtra (1,11,373), and West Bengal (1,04,967).
While Jammu Kashmir’s figures are lower in comparison, the presence of over 10,000 homeless individuals underscores a pressing issue requiring urgent attention.
The government noted that 2.52 lakh urban homeless individuals have been identified through systematic third-party surveys conducted by states and union territories under the Scheme for Shelters for Urban Homeless (SUH), a component of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).
However, as land and colonization fall under the state subject list in the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the primary responsibility for addressing urban homelessness rests with state governments.
Despite this, the central government continues to support state initiatives through programs like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), which aims to provide permanent housing with basic civic amenities to eligible urban households.
Additionally, the SUH component of DAY-NULM is facilitating the development of shelters equipped with essential services to accommodate the homeless population.