URBANIZATION IN INDIA
Table 7.1 shows the levels and trends of urbanization in India in the twentieth century. It shows that in the beginning of the last century, only 10.84 percent population of India was living in urban areas. There is no doubt that there were some world famous religious, political and educational cities in all parts of the country, but an overwhelming majority of population was living in rural areas. Thus India lived in its villages. Till 1931, the speed of urbanization was rather small. As a matter of fact during 1901 to 1911, the level of urbanization decreased. Major improvement in urbanization took place during 1931-1951 and from 1971 to 1981. The period between 1931-1951 was politically turbulent and millions of people moved cross-borders after the partition of the county, into India and Pakistan .After that the speed of urbanization has been slower and erratic (partly due to definitional changes). The last census (in 2001) showed that 27.81 percent of India 's population was living in urban areas and the speed of urbanization is 0.82 percent per year.
Census data have also shown that Goa State has the highest proportion of urban population (49.76 percent), whereas Himachal Pradesh has the lowest (9.30 percent). Among the Union territories, Delhi has the highest proportion of urban population (93.18), and Dadra & Nagar Haveli the lowest (22.89).
The towns and cities are usually divided into five classes: Class I Cities with population above 100,000; Class II Towns with population 50,000-100,000; Class III Towns with population 20,000-50,000; Class IV Towns with population 10,000-20,000; and Class V Towns with population 5,000-10,000. More than half of India 's urban population lives in Class I cities, and nearly one third in Class II or Class III towns. The share of towns with population less than 20,000 is rather small (Registrar General India, 2009). |
