World Habitat Day is being observed today. This day is observed on first Monday of October every year to generate awareness about the state of human settlements and the future of cities. The theme this year is Public Spaces for All. Public spaces are places which are accessible and enjoyable by all without a profit motive. <br/><br/>These include parks, streets, sidewalks, markets and playgrounds. These spaces are increasingly being recognized as the vibrant, beating hearts of the world's towns and cities, which are today home to half of humanity.<br/><br/>In his message, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said this year's observance follows the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is an inspiring framework to guide efforts to end poverty and ensure prosperity for all. <br/><br/>He said successful public spaces require careful collaboration among local authorities, local inhabitants and other stakeholders. On the occasion, an MoU is scheduled to be signed between Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and National Remote Sensing Corporation.

Today is the world habitat day.According to the United Nations, more than 100 million people in the world today are homeless. Millions more face a severe housing problem living without adequate sanitation, with irregular or no electricity supply and without adequate security. One out of every three city dwellers – nearly a billion people – lives in a slum.<br/><br/>UN-Habitat has reported that because of poor living conditions, children in slums are more likely to die from water-borne and respiratory illness and women living in slums are more likely to contract HIV/AIDS than their rural counterparts. <br/><br/>It says that rapid rates of urbanization cause serious negative consequences like overcrowding, poverty, slums with many of them poorly equipped to meet the service demands of ever growing urban populations. With over half of the world’s population currently living in urban areas the U.N. believes there is no doubt that the urban agenda will increasingly become a priority for governments, local authorities and their non-governmental partners everywhere.<br/><br/>The theme of this World Habitat Day Planning our Urban Future, is meant to underscore the urgency of meeting the needs of city dwellers in a rapidly urbanizing world. In his message, the UN Secretary General has called on the international community to work towards planning for a better, greener, more sustainable future for the increasingly urbanized world. AIr correspondent says that the centre plans to make the country slum free in five years.<br/> <br/>