A survey covering slum dwellers in Calcutta has shown lesser incidence of infant and maternal mortality and morbidity and decline in cases of communicable diseases and malnutrition in the last five years. Infant mortality has come down from a baseline rate of 43 per 1000 in 1991-92 to 27.2 in the current year, results of a recent slum improvement programme covering 280,000 slums undertaken by Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority.