SSC
Which is known as the largest slum in India and one of the largest in Asia?
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Answer: Option A — Dharavi, Mumbai
Detailed Solution
Dharavi, in central Mumbai, Maharashtra, is often described as the largest slum in India and one of the largest in Asia.
About Dharavi:
- It covers an area of only about 2.1 square kilometres (about 520 acres), but it is home to an estimated 7 lakh to 10 lakh people, making it one of the most densely populated places in the world.
- It is located between Mumbai's two main suburban railway lines (Western and Central), near the Bandra-Kurla Complex business district.
It began in the late 19th century, when the area was a mangrove swamp and fishing village of the Koli community. Migrants from across India later settled there.
Despite poor housing and sanitation, Dharavi has a thriving informal economy, with thousands of small businesses and industries, such as leather goods, pottery, garments, embroidery, food processing and recycling of plastic and other waste.
Its annual economic output is estimated to be very large.
The potters of Kumbharwada in Dharavi, who came from Gujarat, are well known.
It is known for its diversity, with people of many religions, languages and regions living together.
It appeared in the Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) and the Hindi film "Gully Boy" (2019).
Dharavi Redevelopment Project:
- Several plans have been made to redevelop Dharavi and rehouse its residents in modern buildings.
- In 2022, the Adani Group won the bid for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, run as a joint venture with the Maharashtra government.
- The project has faced debates about the eligibility and rehousing of residents.
About slums in India:
- According to the 2011 Census, about 6.5 crore people lived in slums in India.
- Maharashtra had the largest slum population among states.
- Andhra Pradesh had a high proportion of slum population in urban areas.
- Government programmes for urban housing include the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (2015).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Bhalswa in Delhi is known for its landfill.
- ✗Basanti is a large slum area in Kolkata.
- ✗Nochikuppam is a fishing settlement in Chennai.
Quick tip
Remember: Dharavi = Mumbai (largest slum in India, one of the largest in Asia; leather and recycling industries; "Slumdog Millionaire"; redevelopment by the Adani Group, 2022).
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Population & Census — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Population & Census, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India's population and the Census: population size and growth, density, sex ratio, literacy rate, urbanisation, and the most and least populous states, based on the Census of 2011, along with the basics of world population. Questions usually ask which state has the highest or lowest population, density, sex ratio or literacy, based on Census 2011. For example, Kerala had the highest literacy rate and sex ratio, and Bihar had the highest population density. The Census is conducted every ten years, so check whether newer data has been released before your exam. Practise the population and census questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.