Why in news?
World Cities Day is celebrated on 31st October every year by the United Nations General Assembly.
What is urbanization?
- Urbanization – Urbanization the process of people moving from rural to urban areas, and the corresponding growth in the number of people living in cities.
- Significance – Urbanization, along with industrialization and sectoral change, hold key to the nature of soci0-economic transformation in country.
- Global trend – The world’s urban population has reached an estimated 57.5% of the world’s total population, with projections to double by 2050.
- Urbanization in India – As per 2011 census, urban population in India was about 31.2% of the total population.
- By 2036, towns and cities will be home to 40% of the population, with urban areas contributing almost 70 % to GDP.
- South India is one of the most urbanized regions of the country with Tamil Nadu and Kerala reaching 50% urbanization.
- Rapid urbanization – When urbanization happens at a rate that puts pressure on infrastructure, healthcare, and other services.
- India experiencing rapid urbanization with an annual growth rate of 2.3%.
October 31 is observed every year as World Cities Day. The theme for this year’s World Cities Day is ‘Youth Climate Changemakers: Catalyzing Local Action for Urban Sustainability’.
What are the concerns in rapid urbanization in India?
- Groundwater depletion – Due to rapid urbanization and industrial expansion ground water is depleted at a faster rate than its recharge capacity.
- Climate change – Rapid urbanization intensifies pollution and contributes to urban flooding.
- Cities in the NCR region rank among the most polluted.
- Urban planning issues – Outdated spatial plans fail to address population growth has led to overcrowding.
- 40% of urban residents in India are living in slums.
- Urban heat islands – Urbanization replaces natural land cover with dense built environments like buildings and pavement that absorb and retain heat, creating a heat island effect within the city limits.
- De-industrialization – Leads to declining share of employment in manufacturing which deprives the jobs for growing population in cities.
- It has led to job losses in cities like Ahmedabad, Delhi, Surat, and Mumbai.
- Governance issues – Despite the 74th Constitutional Amendment, most urban planning remains centralized, with minimal powers to local urban bodies.
- This limits effective local governance, as key functions outlined in the 12th Schedule remain under centralized or state control.
- Lack of funding – Cities receive just 0.5% of GDP in intergovernmental transfers, limiting their capacity to address local issues.
What are the Impacts of rapid urbanization?
- Growing inequality – Wealthy developments contrast sharply with slum conditions.
- Socio-economic segregation – As city development increasingly caters to the wealthy while ignoring the needs of the broader population.
- Poverty growth – Many people remain below the poverty line due to the prevalence of low-paying, high living costs, and insufficient social support.
- Water scarcity – Over use and consumption in urban areas leads to acute water crisis in cities.
- Lack of infrastructural development – Cities here often suffer from housing shortages, poor access to clean water and sanitation.
- Poor living conditions – Without adequate infrastructure in urban areas leading to poor living conditions.
- Informal sector jobs – Street vending, rickshaw driving, and informal construction work, often become the primary livelihood for migrant and low-skilled workers.
- These roles typically fall outside labor regulations, leaving workers without social security.
- Poor working conditions – Informal workers in urban areas often face hazardous work environments, including unregulated construction sites and polluted spaces.
- Environmental degradation – Urbanization leads to the destruction of natural habitats, deforestation, and a reduction in green spaces to make way for housing, industry, and infrastructure.
- Pollution crisis – Cities face severe pollution and 10 most polluted cities in India, eight are in the NCR region around Delhi.
What lies ahead?
- Increase investments in eco-friendly housing, improved public transit, and infrastructure to withstand climate events.
- Enhanced community engagement and urban governance.
- Promote sustainable building materials, water conservation, and emergency preparedness to withstand climate disruptions.
- Smart city solutions can improve the quality of life by using Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics to manage resources efficiently.
- Focus on upskilling the urban workforce, especially in the informal sector.
Reference
The Hindu| Challenges of Urbanization in India
