Rapid urbanization has been taking place in India for the last few decades. The growth of cities in India has been largely unplanned, leading to numerous challenges and urban filth. This requires immediate attention.
Urbanization statistics
Global perspective
- According to the Asian Development Bank report of 2019, the global urban population has increased from 751 million in the year 1950 (30% of the total global population) to 4.2 billion in the year 2018 (55% of the total global population).
- This number is estimated to be 5.2 billion (60% of the total global population) in the year 2030 and 6.7 billion (68% of the total global population) in the year 2050.
Indian landscape
- According to the 2011 census, India’s urban population increased from 27.7% in 2001 to 31.1% (377.1 million) in 2011.
- However, since the 1990s the urbanization trend has shifted from tier 1 cities to medium-sized cities.
Causes of Rapid Urbanization
The growing trend of urbanization is reflected in the increasing concentration of the majority of the urban population in some major cities.
Natural Population Increase
- Rapid urbanization is taking place due to the high rate of natural population growth.
- The natural growth rate of the urban population is higher than that of the rural population due to the higher net survival rate resulting from improved health and medical facilities.
- Death rates in urban areas have decreased considerably due to improved availability of medical and health services, safe drinking water supply and improved sanitation facilities.
Migrations
- Rural-urban migration is considered to be another important factor responsible for rapid urbanization in India.
- The creation of many manufacturing and trading activities as a result of industrial development has led to the migration of rural people to urban areas in search of jobs and higher incomes.
- As a result of heavy public investment in industry and mining, large-scale industrial development and sustainable agricultural development are taking place.
- Due to pull factors, a large number of rural people are migrating to urban areas.
- There are certain push factors in which a number of rural people are driven out of villages due to economic constraints, lack of facilities, political violence.
Expansion of Trade and Industry
- Urbanization has taken place with a growing expansion of industry and trade in a particular state of the region.
- Growth of an industry with its ancillaries, together with the localization of industry, would always create a favourable situation for the growth of an urban establishment.
- Similarly, the growth of business and trade, together with the establishment of an active market, always provides adequate support for growing urbanization in those places linked to the development of industry and trade.
Consequences of Rapid Urbanization
Positive Aspect
Economic Growth
- Rapid industrialization results in the development and establishment of many industrial cities.
- Together with manufacturing units, ancillaries and the service sector have begun to grow in these urban areas.
Employment
- New and additional employment opportunities are being created in urban areas in the newly expanding manufacturing and service sector.
- This would result in rural-urban migration and the industrialization urbanization process to be established.
Modernization and Change in Attitude
- Urbanization results in changes in the attitudes and minds of urban people resulting in the modernization of behaviour and a proper motivation that indirectly helps the country to achieve faster economic development.
Negative Aspect
Congestion
- Growing urbanization is largely responsible for increasing congestion in urban areas.
- Too much congestion has resulted in problems such as traffic jams, too much concentration of the population, the management of which is gradually becoming very difficult and costly.
Low Quality of Life
- Too much of the population creates urban chaos related to housing, education, medical facilities, slum growth, unemployment, violence, overcrowding, etc.
- All of these would lead to deterioration in the quality of human life.
Loss of Productivity in Rural Areas
- Large-scale migration from rural to urban areas takes place.
- Such large-scale migration of the active population from rural areas would result in a loss of productivity in rural areas, leading to poor conditions in the village economy.
- As a result, urbanization beyond a certain point would have unhealthful consequences.
Significance of Urban Living
Easier Access to Facilities
- Urban living is linked with higher levels of literacy and education, better health, longer life expectancy, greater access to social services and enhanced opportunities for cultural and political participation.
- Urbanization is associated with easier access to hospitals, clinics and health services in general.
- Living in proximity to these services results in improved emergency care and general health.
Access to Information
- There are also benefits from easier access to sources of information such as radio and television which may be used to communicate information about health to the general public.
- For instance, women living in towns and cities are more likely to be informed about family planning which results in reduction in family size and less frequent childbirth.
Individualism
- The multiplicity of opportunities, social diversity, and lack of familial and social control over decision making leads to more self-interest and facilitates decision-making by an individual and choosing one’s career and actions by oneself.