Urbanization

Time has changed and the changed circumstances favor the town over the village. Big factories and industries were established in the towns and the landless laborers migrated to the towns as industrial workers. Forces of history are causing the change-over and we can’t go against the current of history. The urban population would increase at the expense of the rural one. Exodus of villagers can’t be stopped totally. Urbanization is a self-propelled process whereby urban population increases and the population of the surrounding rural area decreases. It transfers people from agricultural to non-agricultural occupations. Attributes of an urban area are: there is municipality or corporation, cantonment board, notified town area committee; its population is not less than 5000; at least 75% of males are in non-agricultural occupations; density of population is at least four hundred persons per square kilometer. Urban development and urbanization are two different things. Factories, industries, huge infrastructure do not make urbanization; it is the migration of rural, population to the urban area that constitutes urbanization. Urbanization ushers into untold problems. Haphazard urban growth becomes inevitable and very soon slums dot the area. Every coin has two sides. Urbanization is also a blessing in disguise.

Urbanization boosts economic growth. People earn more and spend more. Markets flourish, production increases and economy becomes viable. People pick up the habit of savings also. URBANIZATION IS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE