Urban Definition Challenges in India’s Census 2027
India is preparing for the Census 2027 with a decision to retain the existing definition of urban areas. This choice aims to maintain comparability with previous censuses and track urbanisation trends. However, experts warn that the current urban classification system is outdated and does not capture the complexity of India’s evolving settlement patterns.
Current Urban Definition
Urban areas in India are classified as statutory towns or census towns. Statutory towns have formal urban local bodies like municipal corporations or councils. Census towns lack such governance but meet three criteria – a minimum population of 5,000, at least 75% of the male main workforce engaged in non-agricultural activities, and a population density of 400 persons per sq. km. These census towns function like urban areas but remain governed as rural.
Limitations of Existing Criteria
The current binary urban-rural classification ignores the growing number of settlements that lie between rural and urban. Many census towns and peri-urban areas show urban features but remain under rural governance. This results in inadequate infrastructure, planning, and resource allocation. The 75% male workforce rule is outdated as it excludes women’s unpaid work and does not account for mixed livelihoods or gig economy jobs spreading into rural areas.
Governance and Infrastructure Gaps
Urban local bodies have more autonomy and financial control than rural Panchayati Raj institutions. Settlements without statutory urban status miss out on development opportunities. For example, West Bengal recorded 526 new census towns in 2011 but 251 census towns from 2001 remained under rural governance by 2011. This delayed municipalisation hampers proper urban planning and service delivery.
Implications for Urbanisation Measurement
Research shows India’s official urban population is underestimated. Depending on density and population thresholds, urbanisation could be between 35% and 57% versus the official 31%. Many settlements classified as rural are part of informal urban clusters that lack recognition. The existing definition fails to capture these realities, risking misclassification and undercounting of urban populations.
Need for Revising Urban Criteria
India’s settlement patterns are rapidly changing with the growth of industries, services, and gig economy jobs in semi-rural areas. The male workforce criterion excludes large sections of the population and ignores seasonal and dual occupations. A more flexible, nuanced definition is necessary to reflect the continuum between rural and urban. Updating the criteria will improve governance, infrastructure planning, and resource distribution.
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