Defining the Term ‘Urbanization’

 

The Employment Verification Company in collaboration with the Employment Verification Check, talks about the newly founded sense of the term ‘Urbanization’ in today’s generation. Urbanization refers to the shift of population from rural areas to urban areas in search of remunerative jobs and better opportunities. Urban areas have been regarded as “engines of inclusive economic growth”. Of the 121 crore Indians, 83.3 crores live in rural areas while 37.7 crore stays in urban areas, i.e approx 32 % of the population. After independence, urbanization in India is rising at a very high pace, but at the same time, there are many problems, which are becoming obstacles to balance equitable and inclusive development. It has been no less than a menace to the nation.

History

The Employment Verification Company takes use back during the period of 1687- 88, the first municipal corporation in India was established at Madras. Municipal Corporation was set up in Bombay and Calcutta in the year 1726. In 1882, a resolution was passed according to which, a panchayat was to be formed at the village level, district boards, taluq boards and municipalities. Lord Ripon was Viceroy of India at that time and for this, he is known as the father of local self-government in India.

Problems posed

People just migrate to urban areas without thinking rationally about what to do. They merely become casual laborers and nothing else. Due to the growing urbanization, slums have been created on suburbs of metropolitan cities. Dharavi in Mumbai is the biggest slum area of India. The future of children growing here is quite vague, thus, is the future of the nation. The accommodation also causes the biggest threat to society. More and more forest area is being drained to create accommodation. Infrastructural activities also displace these slum areas. Proper sewage and drainage are not done which leads to severe ailments. Without economic security and poor living conditions, crime is inevitable. There is a high population density. The poor states of infrastructure i.e. bad road network, lack of power supply, inadequate water supply are also severe consequences of it. Flooring is also caused due to the poor drainage system. Poverty, unemployment, starvation & other social evils also add to this problem.

Negative impacts of urbanization worsen the current situation of our nation.

"Prevention is better than cure."

Smart city concept

In the budget, 2014, it was initiated for ‘one hundred Smart cities’, as satellite towns of larger cities and modernizing the existing mid-sized cities. Though there is no clear definition of smart cities, it may consist of creative, cyber, digital, e-governed, entrepreneurial, intelligent, knowledge, harnessing the power of Information and communication technology (ICT). Smartness is required with respect to governance and service delivery.

Solutions

There should be integrated attention for the development of infrastructure services in cities covered and there should be the establishment of linkages between asset-creation and asset-management through various methods for long-term project sustainability; Green building concepts should be implemented.

The office of an empowered mayor must take up the work for administrative coordination internally between municipal departments, and externally with state and central government agencies.

Urban planning mechanisms need an overhaul to integrate the land record keeping, land use with transport planning, and embed municipal plans into the district and regional plans. Measures need to be implemented positively to deal with urbanization & to cut it's tentacles.