This article sees the role of the National Rural Health Mission as an important public health initiative to address essential health needs of India’s under served population, but advocates for its expansion to include the needs of the urban population. Health status and access of reproductive and child health services of slum dwellers is poor and comparable to the rural population and public sector urban health delivery system, especially for the poor, is sporadic, far from adequate and limited in its reach. Efforts to improve the conditions of urban poor necessitate strengthening national policy and fiscal mandate, augmenting and strengthening the urban health delivery system, coordinating among multiple stakeholders, involving private sector, strengthening municipal functioning and building community capacities
