Urbanisation:
Approximately 350 million people, or one-third of the population, reside in cities and towns in India. People are living in cities and towns and working in non-agricultural fields at an increasing rate. We refer to this process as urbanisation. Approximately forty cities had a population of one lakh, and only five cities had a population of one million or more in the 1950s.
A significant portion of the population lived in the 5.6 lakh villages. More than 850 million people reside in these villages, which numbered 6.4 lakhs as of the 2011 census. Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata are the three cities that each have a population of over 10 million. With a population of one million or more, there are over fifty cities.
Urbanisation has increased, but the fundamental infrastructure needed to sustain this growth is utterly useless. Roads, sewer systems, electricity, water, and other public utilities are essential requirements. There has been progress in improving the urban infrastructure, especially in relation to road transportation, thanks to government interference.
Water, electricity, and medical infrastructure are not sufficiently available, though. This situation is even more terrible for the less fortunate residents of cities and towns.
In what ways does India’s urbanisation advance the country’s economy? Activities related to business, including transportation, storage, and communication, as well as industries like finance, real estate, insurance, and information technology, make up the service sector and contribute more than industrial sectors.
The manufacturing employment has not increased significantly in the last few decades. The majority of the product is produced through services. For some people, living in or relocating to cities and towns is a blessing. The average income of a low-income family is significantly higher than that of a high-income family, despite the fact that poverty in urban areas is generally lower than in rural areas. In towns and cities as well, this disparity has been widening.
In cities and towns, natural growth within the urban areas was the primary cause of the population growth. These urban areas’ populations grew throughout time. Rural areas that surrounded older cities and towns were included into urban settlements, which led to some of their expansion. Only 5% of the growth can be attributed to migration from rural to urban areas.
Problems of Urbanisation
Greater opportunities for people, increased economic productivity, etc. are not the only factors contributing to increasing urbanization. Moreover, it causes a lot of issues. There must be housing for the expanding urban population. It requires transportation, sewage and other waste disposal, water supply, and a host of other necessities.
Environmental stress is the result of all of these. Urban air pollution rises with vehicle use, contributing to localized climate change and health issues. In addition, improper sewage disposal may increase the risk of contracting infectious diseases. One of the consequences of increased urbanization is the use of materials that do not degrade or degrade slowly.
This generates waste that needs to be disposed of. Where do we put such waste? As urban areas grow, waste is increasingly pushed to rural areas, where it is either dumped or transported to waste treatment facilities.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Urbanisation
Advantages:
1 Urbanisation:
Urbanisation frequently leads to increased economic activity as cities serve as hubs for commerce, trade, and industry. This can lead to increased employment, income, and economic growth.
2. Access to Services:
Cities typically provide a diverse range of services, such as healthcare, education, transportation, and entertainment, which may not be available in rural areas. Healthcare facilities, schools, public transportation, and cultural amenities are frequently more easily accessible to urban residents.
3. Technological Advancements:
Urban areas tend to attract investment in infrastructure and technology, which leads to the adoption of new facilities and innovations. This includes advancements in transportation, communication, and information technology, which can all improve people’s quality of life.
4. Diverse Opportunities:
Cities offer a wide range of job, educational, and social opportunities. They attract people with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and skill sets, resulting in a dynamic environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and innovation.
5. Infrastructure Development:
Urbanisation promotes the construction of critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, utilities, and public buildings. This infrastructure promotes economic activity, improves connectivity, and increases overall urban livability.
Disadvantages:
1. Overcrowding and Congestion:
Rapid urbanisation can cause overcrowding, congestion, and a strain on city infrastructure and services. This could lead to traffic congestion, inadequate housing, pollution, and increased resource demand.
2. Housing Challenges:
Urbanisation frequently results in a shortage of affordable housing, particularly in rapidly growing cities. Low-income residents may struggle to find adequate housing, which can contribute to homelessness, slum development, and social inequality.
3. Environmental Degradation:
Air and water pollution, deforestation, and the loss of natural habitats are all examples of the negative effects of urbanisation. Increased urbanisation frequently results in higher levels of pollution, waste generation, and energy consumption, posing environmental and health concerns.
4. Socioeconomic differences:
Urbanisation can exacerbate social disparities and inequalities, as marginalized groups frequently have limited access to resources, services, and opportunities. This can lead to social tensions, crime, and urban unrest, especially in areas with high levels of poverty and inequality.
5. Resource Stress:
Urbanisation puts a lot of pressure on natural resources such as land, water, and energy because cities consume a lot of them to support their growing populations and economic activities. In the long run, this may result in resource depletion, environmental degradation, and sustainability challenges.
Overall, urbanisation provides opportunities for economic growth, development, and modernization, but it also poses challenges in terms of overcrowding, infrastructure, social inequality, and environmental sustainability.
Aerotropolis:
Many countries, including India, are experiencing a new type of settlement. These settlements are centered around major airports. As a result, the name aerotropolis, or airport city, was chosen.
In an aerotropolis, the airport serves as its own city. Many amenities, including hotels, shopping, entertainment, food, and business conferencing, are available on-site. People can fly in, conduct business with their counterparts right there, and fly out with all the comforts of a city, without the traffic or other problems.
Migration:
Migration refers to people moving from one place to another in search of better opportunities. Migration occurs for various reasons, including social, economic, and political considerations. According to the 2011 census, approximately 307 million people in India are considered migrants.
Migration can happen for a variety of reasons. While females report marriage as their most common reason for migration, males report employment or the desire to find work as their most common reason. Dissatisfaction with employment opportunities in the home country, better opportunities for education, business losses, family feuds, and so on are some of the other reasons that people have given as reasons for migration in census surveys.
Migration can be classified into two types. Seasonal and Temporary.
Every fourth Indian citizen is a migrant, according to national census surveys. Migration increased between 2001 and 2011, but not as dramatically as it had in the 1980s. This could happen within or outside of a state.
We investigated the statistics of rural-urban migration and the various causes of migration. However, it is important to note that rural-to-rural migration is growing. Because the length of stay is frequently less than six months, census data may not capture all of it. Because of limitations in the definition of “migrant” used in national surveys, the number of seasonal migrants in India is underestimated.
Rural to Urban migration:
The primary causes of migration from rural areas are the scarcity of jobs and low pay associated with rural employment. A greater salary, more possibilities for family members, and possibly better services are other reasons why people move. In order to obtain employment, the majority of urban migrants must work as laborers in the unorganized sector.
These occupations could include construction labor, rickshaw pullers, painters, repairers, and hawkers. Individuals from rural areas relocate to cities and towns in order to work in the service industry and other industries. This has been acknowledged as a legitimate justification for raising their income and improving family prospects.
They have the chance to learn new skills, find employment, and further their education throughout this process. Furthermore, towns seem to provide more freedom and a reduction in caste and gender discrimination. On the other hand, a large number of people relocate to cities more out of desperation and a lack of suitable job opportunities in rural areas.
The lack of basic amenities like clean water and proper sanitation, coupled with crowded living quarters, make life in towns and cities even more difficult for these individuals. These individuals are unable to obtain employment in the “organized sector,” which means they will not be able to achieve their goals of having a secure job and a respectable salary. They still work every day to support themselves.
What tends to happen when a large number of people migrate?
Unskilled laborers who migrate abroad frequently encounter numerous difficulties in their new countries. Because they are unable to purchase food grains from fair-priced stores near their places of employment, they spend more on food.” They experience health issues and are more vulnerable to illness because they live in unsanitary and harsh conditions.
Individuals who labor in quarries, brick kilns, construction sites, and mines may experience respiratory disorders, sunstroke, body aches, and skin irritations. Mishaps in manufacturing facilities and building sites are also frequent when employers disregard safety protocols. Since they are not employed by the organized sector, migrants are not eligible for many health and family care programs.
Both at their destination and at their place of origin, many families maintain homes. Depending on their jobs and the seasons, they alternate between the two locations. Migration does not always entail the whole family moving; in many cases, the wife stays in the rural area.
Based on their educational background and skill set, urban migrants employ a variety of job search techniques. Making connections and building networks are essential to obtaining jobs in cities. As a matter of fact, villagers plan their work in advance and travel to urban areas via networks or contacts in rural areas.
For a variety of reasons, they maintain strong connections to their rural communities. In order to enable prospective migrants to conduct a job search based in the rural areas, migrants also bring urban opportunities to those areas.
