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Periodic dwellings are also defined as regular temporary dwellings used by nomadic tribal societies living in a pastoral economy. This type of housing is reflected in the yurt used by the Mongolian and Kirgizian groups and the Bedouins of North Africa and western Asia. These groups’ dwellings essentially demonstrate the next step in the evolution of housing, which is linked to societal development. Pastoral nomads are distinguished from people living in episodic dwellings by their homogenous cultures and the beginnings of political organization. Their environmental impact increases with their increased dependence on agriculture rather than livestock.

Seasonal Dwellings

Schoenauer describes seasonal dwellings as reflective of societies that are tribal in nature, seminomadic, and based on agricultural pursuits that are both pastoral and marginal. Housing used by seminomads for several months or for a season can be considered semisedentary and reflective of the advancement of the concept of property, which is lacking in the preceding societies. This concept of property is primarily of communal property, as opposed to individual or personal property. This type of housing is found in diverse environmental conditions and is demonstrated in North America by the hogans and armadas of the Navajo Indians. Similar housing can be found in Tanzania (Barabaig) and in Kenya and Tanzania (Masai).

Semi-permanent Dwellings

According to Schoenauer, sedentary folk societies or hoe peasants practicing subsistence agriculture by cultivating staple crops use semi-permanent dwellings. These groups tend to live in their dwellings various amounts of time, usually years, as defined by their crop yields. When land needs to lie fallow, they move to more fertile areas. Groups in the Americas that used semi-permanent dwellings included the Mayans with their oval houses and the Hopi, Zuni, and Acoma Indians in the southwestern United States with their pueblos.

Permanent Dwellings

The homes of sedentary agricultural societies, whose political and social organizations are defined as nations and who possess surplus agricultural products, exemplify this type of dwelling. Surplus agricultural products allowed the division of labor and the introduction of other pursuits aside from food production; however, agriculture is still the primary occupation for a significant portion of the population. Although they occurred at different points in time, examples of early sedentary agricultural housing can be found in English cottages, such as the Suffolk, Cornwall, and Kent cottages.

Housing is a basic human need, with importance next only to food and clothes. It is important not only for human well-being but also for the economic benefits to the household and the nation. This has been widely recognized at national and international platforms.

Thus, housing is one of the most essential basic needs of all human beings and a civilized society. Housing is a source of strength and satisfaction, an indicator of the wellbeing and achievement of a member of society. It is rightly said that housing is a launch pad for the economic development of human beings, society and the country.

Housing in India is diverse due to the social, economic and cultural diversity of its population and diverse climatic conditions across India. One of the urbanization challenges in India has been the wide disparities in housing between the affluent, middle-income and low-income segments of the population. Most of the economically weaker segments of the urban population in India live in slums. A “slum” is typically a heavily populated urban area with substandard housing. They could be vast informal settlements with buildings varying from simple shacks to well-maintained structures. Often, they lack basic services. They are becoming the most visible manifestation of urban poverty in India and the developing world cities. (UN-Habitat, 2007). Approximately 24% of the total population in Indian cities (million + population) lives in the slums. 10% of the total population in Bangalore, Karnataka, lives in slums and 54% of the total population in Greater Mumbai lives in slums (Source: Census India 2001)

1.3. HOUSING SCENARIO IN INDIA

India is unfavorably placed as far as land man ratio is concerned. Global ranking of India in population is second after than one sixth of world population lives in India. It is projected that by 2025, India will be most populous country in the world surpassing China.

The demand for housing is a product of two variables. First and foremost is the primary need that is driven by increasing population. Larger the population, larger will be the demand for housing. The growth rate of population during 2001-11 was 17.64 per cent. The simple logic says that the housing demand during this period must increase by this rate assuming other factors as constant. The growth rate of population during the 2001-11 decade was the lowest one but that does not mean that growth rate of demand for housing was lowered down during this period. The other factors of demand for housing are more powerful. Further, in the current scenario, population growth is actually occurring among the younger 4 age groups which enjoy a higher per capita income. This age group is largely responsible for urbanization and thus also nuclear families. All this leads to a higher demand for housing.