World Urban Forum

Could it be that one of the obstacles preventing urban authorities/utilities from providing energy services to informal settlements/slums is the fact that they perceive the urban poor to be "the burden" of the Central Government?

In India the energy services (electricity,gas, promotion of non conventional sources)are ouside the purview of city govts.However street lighting is provided by local governments.Solar energy is handled by a separate ministry/departments at central and provincial level.
But,this issue to suitably involve city govt is emerging slowely.Non conventional energy options are promoted with the help of NGOs and CBOs and there is a greater awareness to involve city govt.At the same time issue of tenure to provide regular connection is also a crtical area to resolve.Efforts are made to deal this issue as part of overall slum improvement initives.in this regard Govrnment of india has initiated a flagship programme known as Rajiv Awas Yojna which is addressing slums in a whole city perspective with the purpose to have slum free cities.as a comprehensive approach energy is also included in the things to do.how ever there is a need to do more on this.

Yes I agree that this comprehensive approach should be used.It can also cover intensive work to explore use of non conventional sources of energy such as wind/solar enegy as well as discipline in the use of existing sources.Most cases with a political(local)patronage,the slum dwellers use illegal connections to meet their energy requirements.This needs to be regularised.

@ prof. pandev ...in Nigeria sustainable energy and utilities would seem almost imposible and more like a dream for the urban miserable and rural poor...i suggest those facilities and utilities should first be perfected and made affordable before encouraging the populance of the urban poor...if this is not done initially it would only make the urban poor more miserable and affix them in positions where they can only window shop these modern forms of energy and sustainable utilities.

If we take up these solutions than only we can have economies of scale and a cheaper cost of production of such services.There are successfull examples wherein checkdam have been built in rural Gujrat in India which preserve water in a water scarcity district and also provide drinking water throuh pumps operating from solar energy.These small dams also have promoted social forestry and ground water recharge and also ground water have become sweat in the surrounding areas.

These types of projects can be initiated with public/donar/civil society funding.

A common trend in most developing countries is the exclusion of utility services to the urban poor especially those living in informal settlements (i.e. slums). Most urban authorities/utilities do not provide electricity, water, sanitation, roads/streets, street lighting, etc to the informal settlements - where the poor live – and, where this happens,
For example, low cost pro-poor options for the provision of electricity services include pre-payment metering; load-limited electrical supply; solar home systems; flood-lighting; solar PV streetlights; etc. In addition, the urban authorities can provide special incentives to encourage the private sector to provide energy services. For example, independent power distributors can buy electricity in bulk from the power utilities and on-sell it to homes and businesses in the slums areas. Micro-finance institutions working with the urban poor can be encouraged to offer affordable loans for the poor to invest in low-cost LPG cookers and cylinders. Therefore, this e-dialogue topic is expected to address the following questions: What are the options that urban authorities/utilities could adopt for provision of pro-poor energy services? What case examples exist from which other urban authorities/utilities could draw lessons from? What obstacles prevent urban authorities/utilities from providing energy services to informal settlements/slums?

Greetings, thanks , peace and love Honorable Sir. Today i saw World Bank nice mail and Initiative-

5. Join the launch of key new products and initiatives
The World Bank will introduce a number of new publications on topics such as cultural heritage ("the economics of uniqueness") and urban risk assessments and launch new collaborative initiatives under the Urbanization Knowledge Platform, including a Global Lab on Metropolitan Planning and a research program to Rethink Housing for the Urban Poor.

Think this is very similarities group discussion-A common trend in most developing countries is the exclusion of utility services to the urban poor especially those living in informal settlements (i.e. slums). Most urban authorities/utilities do not provide electricity, water, sanitation, roads/streets, street lighting, etc to the informal settlements - where the poor live – and, where this happens,

Greetings i am atone with Professor KK Pandey Sir Most cases with a political(local)patronage,the slum dwellers use illegal connections to meet their energy requirements.This needs to be regularised.
I think both Government, NGO organizations should be helped enough to legalized accommodation, Sustainable Water, Treatment, Energy - cheap and available energy- Wind, Solar energy for meet up their power crisis!
A lot of kids live in slum areas We should ensure their better future and previous i saw African Solar lamp instead of Kerosene lamp for rural to urban slum kids education. Every human has rights to get basic need - rural poor to Slum poor. So all should try to give them sustainable energy, food, water, buildings based Sustainable development based life. Thanks all. Greetings, peace, love n Best Regards from Bangladesh.