Legal Status and Deprivation in Urban Slums over Two Decades

In India, 59% of urban slums are "non-notified" or lack legal recognition by the government. We use data on 2,901 slums from four waves of the National Sample Survey spanning nearly 20 years to assess the relationship between a slum's legal status and the severity of deprivation in access to basic services, including piped water, latrines, and electricity. Our analysis reveals a progressive reduction in deprivation the longer that a slum has been notified. These findings suggest that legally recognizing non-notified slums and targeting government aid to these settlements may be crucial for improving health outcomes and diminishing urban disparities.