Quality of Life in Slums of Varanasi City : A Comparative Study

Though urbanisation is an indicator of development, but it is also bitter fact that poverty is growing faster in urban areas than in rural areas. Around the world, approximately one billion people live in urban slums, which are typically overcrowded, polluted and lack basic services. The situation is worst in developing countries like India. The slums of Varanasi portray a pathetic picture of life in slums. Social problems, disparities, well being and quality of life are the new domains of geographic study in this post-modern era. Quality of life studies form part of human geography, radical geography, welfare geography and of philosophical geography. The quality of life studies are becoming more relevant for inclusive development of society and country. This study is based on primary survey of 150 households of 5 different slums (Rajghat, Onkareshwar, Sigra, Durgakund and Nagwa) of Varanasi city. This paper is an attempt to determine the quality of life statistically in slums of Varanasi city. For determining the Quality of Life in slums Composite Index and Standard Deviation techniques has been used. To calculate the composite index 10 variables were chosen to determine QOL. The paper also attempts to briefly compare the condition of slum dwellers with the targets of UN MDG and India vision 2020 and suggest some measures of inclusive development and planning to improve quality of life in slums