The survey by the Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) in eight zones (4 to 7, and 9 to 12) identified 206 urban homeless children (0 to 5 years) for the assessment - 107 girls and 99 boys. 

The exercise revealed that only 54 per cent of the children had access to the various services provided in the anganwadi centres, which provide supplementary nutrition for children aged between 6 months and 1 year; one boiled egg per week for children between the ages of 1 and 2 years; and also post-natal supplementary food for mothers.

According to the report, the mother said they did not know the location of the centre in their neighbourhood and that the workers did not visit their area, which was cited as reasons. Discussions with the mothers revealed that there were various instances of discrimination in the AWCs, which made them shy away from sending their 

children to AWCs. 

“The State government is implementing the Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) scheme under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) without a State-specific policy. There is an emerging need to draft a comprehensive policy at the State-level to facilitate convergence of schemes and coordination of departments concerned,” said Vanessa Peter, policy researcher, IRCDUC.

This policy should bring various programmes implemented for the urban poor, especially the homeless, under a framework so as to ensure adequate budgetary allocation and for facilitating effective planning, implementation and evaluation of the programme, she opined, calling for a state-specific operational guideline to implement 

the programme. 

The study also recommended that the Corporation should conduct monthly health camps for the homeless children residing with their parents. Other recommendations included providing shelters for families residing on streets within three kilometres radius from their area of residence, who prefer the street to safeguard their livelihood opportunities. 

The report also highlighted the need for establishing more AWCs, including in Parrys and Broadway, and new centre at Mannadi. When asked, an official from the Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme department said that mobile creches were not possible. “We can look at the option of setting up creches closer to the hotspots. But mobile creches is not a viable solution,” the official said.