LUCKNOW: Although the slum population of UP dropped from 11% to 9.5% in a decade (from 2001-2011), over 62 lakh people in the state still live in slums. The state, according to primary census data 2011, do not attain the top position in terms of households, but it ranks fourth in ascending order when it comes to the absolute number of slum-dwellers. In UP, 62,69,965 people live in 10,66,363 households. Nationally too, the slum population has come down to 22.4% in 2011 as against 23.5% in 2001, though 6.54 crore still live in slums in India.

Out of 648 statutory towns, 293 are slum-reported towns in UP. While 46,78,326 slums are recognized by the UP government, only 5,62,548 are notified and 9,99,091 are identified as slums. The census data on slums identified slum-dwellers as people living in compact areas with a population of at least 300, in unhygienic environment with inadequate infrastructure and lacking proper sanitary and drinking water facilities. Earlier, only people in areas notified or recognized as slums by state or local authorities were counted.

Child population (0-6 years), according to the census, living in UP slums has come down drastically in a decade. The proportion of child population to the total slum population, in census 2011, lies between 13.1-14 which was above 15.1 in the census 2011.

UP has, however, witnessed a decline in the child sex ratio. Though it doesn't occupy the bottom fifth position, the child sex ratio is between 876-900 girls per 1,000 boys. The census of 2011 shows that the child sex ratio in the state was 901-925 girls per 1,000 boys. India's slums have a far better child sex ratio of 922 girls per 1,000 boys than the non-slum urban population, for which the figure is 902. The sex ratio is at par with the last census, that is, more than 900 women for every 1,000 men.

On the literacy front, no significant improvement is visible in UP slums. With 69% literacy rate, UP slums come in the worst five states. While literacy rate in slums in Arunachal Pradesh is 69.4%, Bihar slums have 68.2% literates. The worst is Chandigarh with 66.4% literacy rate. Countrywide, the literacy rate in slums has gone up to 78% compared to the overall urban literacy of over 84%. The jump in female literacy in slums (from 63% to 72%) is higher than the increase in male literacy from 80% to 84%.