In a city like Varanasi slums and slum dwellers are get affected by the tourism as it is an internationally known piligrimage centre

1. Karuna Raj
Ph.D Research Scholar
Department of Geography
Banaras Hindu University

3. As Mark Twain said in 1898
“Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older
even than legend and looks as twice as old as all of them
put together”
 The ancient city of Varanasi is believed to have existed
since beginning of the earth and finds its mention in the
Arthavedas.
 City of Varanasi Attracts more than 30 lakhs tourists from
india & Abroad due to its:
 Cultural & Religious Heritage e.g. Temples ( Sankat
Mochan, Kashi Vishvanath, Durga mandir, tulsi Manas
Mandir etc.)
 Gateway of Buddhist Circuit
 Leading place in Education
 The riverfront and the long uninterrupted stretch of 83
ghats is the façade of the architectural zone
 Art & Craft
 Banarasi delicacies (paan, lassi etc.)

5. tourism contributes to the economic growth
of country & has become a significant
industry in both poor and rich economies
because of its through:
 creation of employment opportunities and
provision of public revenues.
 important impacts on economic, livelihoods
and socio-cultural development

6. The economy of the city is based on various sectors
like :
 Tourism.
 Export of famous Banarasi saari, carpets & musical
instruments &
 The education sector, with world famous universities
present in the city.
 However, The overall economy of the region is
dominated by tourism, with tourist coming not only
from all parts of India but also from different
countries.

7. Present paper tries to examine the impact of tourism on
the economic profile as well as on the means of livelihood
of one of special strata of the society i.e. the slums in
varanasi city by:
 Identifying major tourist attractions
 To identify slums along the important tourist attractions.
 To identify various economic activities performed by slum
dwellers.
 To obsereve various ways in which the tourism is affecting
the livelihood of the nearby slum dwellers
 To suggest various ideas to enhance their livelihood .

8.  The work is based on secondary data and primary data.
 Secondary data is obtained from city development plan and various other
sources such as published materials and reports.
 Primary data is collected directly from the field survey through interview,
conversation and informal discussion method.
 Questions of interview revolved round:
 the economic activities they perform,
 distance of their work from their residence,
 state of basic amenities family size and their involvement in
economically productive activities,
 earnings, expenditure, savings and security.
 Data collected from various sources has been also supported through
observation, analyzed statistically and depicted cartographically using
appropriate techniques.

9.  Varanasi city has a total of 209 slums. Here, the total
population living in slums is 407036, which accounts
34% of the city population (as per census 2011).
 Slum dwellers are found to be working as:
 casual laborers.
 working on regular wage basis which includes
domestic help, rag pickers, and vegetable vendors.
 A few of them working on monthly salary, indicating
a secured position and skilled employment( silk and
carpet weavers, dyers etc)

10.  Nearly 39% of the slum households do not
have access to a dependable occupation and
secure income such as:
 Roadside stalls/shops.
 Rickshaw pulling.
 Guidance and recreational facilities for
tourist etc.

12. Livelihood of slum dwellers in Varanasi depends upon various types of economic
activities such as:
 Flowers/offering vendors along temples.
 Boatman (boating, diving).
 Food Vendors( snack, peanuts, tea stalls etc.)
 Small cosmetic Vendors.
 Rickshaw Pullers.
 Unskilled Guides.
 Beggars.
 supplying cultural services – such as dancing displays.

14. Livelihood of slum dwellers not raised significantly due to Tourism
because:
 Lack of financial backup.
 Low literacy and poor job skills
 Gender Constraints: Beliefs that women should not work.
 Seasonal constraints: tourist generally visit Varanasi from october to
march , Ghats remain unfunctional during rainy season.
 Social exclusion of poor peopole.
 Lack of government policies for employment & training to urban poor.
 Ignorance towards mentainance of various cultural heritage, which may
generate employment opportunities for the local poor etc.

15. However, there are evidences of upgrading of
livelihood of slum dwellers has been observed by
initiatives taken by some local & foreign NGOs :
 A non profit group from spain has trained
beggars in various skills to earn their livelihood
at assi ghat.
 Another group of spanish, dutch & french
volunteers provide the poor teenagers with
computer skills and train them in English and
spanish which also influence their livelihood.

18.  Renovation of some of heritage sites ( pushkar kund, rani lakshmi
bai birthplace and saint kabir etc.) will support livelihood
opportunities to slum dwellers in the area.
 Employment of poor in cleaning campaigns .
 Employment of boatmen who are expert divers in water police.
 Fixing of fares of boats will make their income secure.
 Generation of employment opportunities by opening public
utilities.
 Recognizing NGOs.
 Govt. initiatives to launch training programmes to poor to
enhance their livelihood.