The Indian slum dwellers will reach around 93 million by next year despite its robust economic growth, local media reported on Saturday. The total slum population in 2011 would rise to 93.06 million from 75.26 million in 2001, the Indian newspaper the Times of India quoted an expert committee of the Indian Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation as saying. There has been a growth of 17.8 million across the country in the last decade, said the expert committee set up to estimate the urban slum population. Among the expected urban slum population by 2011, over 3.1 million residents will stay in slums in the Indian capital of New Delhi, compared to 2.3 million in 2001. The western Indian state of Maharashtra will have about 18 million urban slum residents in 2011, becoming the largest urban slum dwellers state across the country, said the committee. Minister of State of Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja said this trend is formed due to a spurt in the national urbanization, and the percentage would decrease as more and more urban slums are being developed and rehabilitated. The target of achieving a slum-free India in five years, which was outlined by Indian President Pratibha Patil, could be realized if local governments could cooperate fully, according to the minister. In India, all clusters of 20-25 or more households having no roofs, or non- concrete roofs, and having no facility of drinking water, toilet or drainage will be regarded as slums. 