Urbanization PDF

# 4 ## Learning Outcomes The learner: - describes the term urbanization - identifies causes of urbanization - describes impacts of urbanization - differentiates a smart city from any other urban center - explains strategies / steps taken at the local level to keep the urban areas clean - discusses ways to reduce the negative impact of urbanization ## Recall You have read about urbanization in history in class 6. Discuss if the urbanization that took place in ancient times was similar to the one that is there in modern times. ## Urbanization Urbanization is a process in which populations from rural areas move to urban areas, thus leading to the growth of towns and cities. It also leads to a progressive increase in the number of people living in towns and cities. This large-scale movement of people from rural to urban areas is largely influenced by the fact that cities and towns have better economic, political, and social benefits compared to the rural areas. In both developing and developed countries, people move to cities and towns because they see rural areas as places of hardship and primitive lifestyle. Majority of people are attracted to towns and cities because they want to acquire better social and economic services and benefits which exist in these places. Some of the advantages of living in towns and cities are better healthcare facilities, education, sanitation, housing, job and business opportunities, entertainment facilities, clubs, restaurants, shopping malls and transportation. Therefore, as populations move from backward areas to more developed areas (towns and cities), large areas of the country become urbanized. In India, the expansion of cities increased at an alarming rate. In 1901, as per the census taken, the urban population was 11.4 per cent of the population. A hundred years later, by 2001, the urban population had grown to 28.53 per cent and by 2021 it had become about 35 per cent. It is expected that by 2030, the urban population will become around 40 per cent, according to the United Nations estimates. ## Causes of Urbanization There are many factors responsible for the urbanization of a place. * The dearth of jobs in villages and the lack of opportunities to earn a livelihood draw people from the rural areas to the cities. * Rapid industrial growth in and around the city provides plenty of job opportunities. * Cities also provide opportunities for unskilled workers from rural areas. They take up jobs at construction sites or as mechanics, drivers, barbers, newspaper vendors, street food sellers, etc. Such jobs or small trade opportunities are not available in villages. * Cities offer better medical facilities and healthcare services. This decreases mortality rates and causes a natural increase in population. * Cities also offer better education prospects for migrants and their children. * Cities offer higher wages to workers, a part of which they send to their families back home. * Cities offer people more varied options for recreation and entertainment, such as cinema, plays, sporting events, circuses, song or dance performances, fairs and exhibitions, etc. * Cities provide better communication and transport facilities. * Modern conveniences, improved lifestyles and freedom from rigid social norms such as the caste system that are more widely prevalent in the rural areas of India, force people to leave their villages and move to cities. ## Urbanization – 2021 (percentage of total pop.) - 91-100 - 76-90 - 61-75 - 55-60 - 31-54 - 15-30 - 0-15 - average (57) Data source: The World Bank ## Did You Know? As per World Bank data, India's urban population was 508.37 million in 2022. This was about 35 per cent of India's total population. This is expected to increase to 675 million by 2035. ## Discuss Discuss some strategies that can be implemented to reduce the negative impact of urbanization on the environment, infrastructure, and quality of life in rapidly growing cities. ## Impact of Urbanization A large number of people migrate from rural to urban areas as a consequence of the push factors and the pull factors. While certain factors in rural areas push out people, there are some factors in urban areas that attract people. As more and more people are pushed from rural to urban areas, there are both positive and negative impacts on the people who have migrated to the city. ### Positive Impacts of Urbanization Urbanization has some notable positive effects on the lives of people living in big cities. - There is development and expansion of essential services like clean water, electricity and transport in cities. - People in urban areas have greater access to health, educational, cultural and social services than in rural areas. - More schools, colleges, training centers and universities are found in urban areas which provide children of migrants with better prospects for the future. - Availability of multifarious employment opportunities that draw younger generations from the rural areas. - Urbanization creates harmony among people coming from different strata of society, allowing people of different castes, groups, languages and religions to live and work together in peace, thereby breaking down the social and cultural barriers. - Urbanization allows people to acquire modern communication skills. Knowledge of computers and smartphones, as well as knowledge of new languages enable many people to take up jobs that utilize these skills. Thousands of youths have found jobs in call centres across many Indian cities owing to their skills in spoken and written English. - Urbanization provides people with the opportunity to acquire training and work experience in high-tech industries and the city's 'Silicon Valleys, enhancing their skills and facilitating them to migrate to other developed countries. - Urbanization provided people opportunities to work in high-tech industries. ### Quick Facts Bengaluru is one of the fastest-growing cities in Asia. It has become the centre of technology. Approximately 35 per cent of the professional workers are engaged in IT and related industries in Bengaluru. ### Negative Impacts of Urbanization Despite its many benefits, urbanization also has quite a few drawbacks. - Due to a large number of people moving in the urban areas, there is an acute shortage of housing. Many people can only afford a very small accommodation of about one room unit without any space for a toilet or kitchen. - Many people who leave their village and migrate to cities in search of a better life and occupational opportunities end up as casual labourers. They do not earn enough to be able to afford proper housing facilities in a city. This leads to the creation of slums. Slums are urban areas that are heavily populated with poor housing and living conditions. - Since slums are usually located on land not owned by the slum dwellers, they can be easily evicted (thrown out) from their houses by the owners.  - Urbanization leads to the creation of slums which have poor living conditions. - Overcrowding in cities also leads to the problem of transportation. There is poor network of roads, inadequate public transport, which leads to traffic jams and further adds to the suffering of the people commuting. - Growth of slums in urban areas puts pressure on essential utilities such as clean drinking water, sanitation, power, etc. - Overcrowding in slums leads to the outbreak of diseases such as malaria and dengue. - With the daily influx of a large number of people into cities who have come in search of jobs, unemployment in cities increases as the number of people looking for jobs is more than the jobs available. - Unemployment and poverty force people to engage in anti-social activities. Crimes begin to increase in slum areas, thereby making it difficult to enforce law and order. - With the increase in urbanization, the environment is affected in many ways. There is a steep rise in air pollution as more and more factories are built and more and more motor vehicles ply on the roads. - A rise in air pollution leads to a consequential rise in allergies and respiratory diseases. - Work efficiency decreases as people spend more time on travelling to and from the place of work, the time that could be spent more constructively in the office. - Because of such factors, there will be a greater demand for online work, which will keep people apart, leading to lack of social communication. - The expansion of cities leads to the destruction of flora and fauna. With an increase in population, there is a consequent demand for more housing. In building high-rise apartments a lot of forests and wetlands are destroyed, driving away many birds and animals from their natural habitats. - In many areas close to the sea, urbanization damages the ocean ecosystem. - Destruction of green areas and increase in built-up areas lead to an increase in city temperatures. ## Think and Answer We know that most jobs are in urban areas so people move to urban areas from rural areas in search of jobs. However, it is also a fact that this leads to unbalanced national development. How do you think this problem should be addressed? ## Ways to Reduce the Negative Impact of Urbanization There are various steps that the government can take to check and reduce the negative effects of urbanization. ### Sustainable and environment-friendly cities The government should plan and provide environment-friendly cities with smart growth techniques and should pass laws to this effect. It is quite unhealthy for people to reside in unsafe and polluted areas. Therefore, the government should aim to build sustainable cities with improved environmental conditions and habitats, which are safe and clean for people living in urban areas. Governments should also encourage investment in green infrastructure, promote eco-friendly industries, emphasize on recycling and environmental campaigns, suggest ways for pollution management, provide renewable sources of energy, eco-friendly public transportation, and suggest methods of water recycling and land reclamation. The government must encourage people to use EVs (Electric Vehicles) and the use of electric buses, trams and metro trains. ### Provision of essential services The government at the local level must ensure that all populations living within the urban areas have access to adequate essential services such as education, health, sanitation and clean water, technology, electricity and food. Jobs and earning opportunities must be provided so that people can earn a living and lead a good quality life. Subsidies should also be provided by the government so that the costs of basic healthcare, education, public transportation, communication systems, energy and technology can be reduced. ### More job creation More employment opportunities should be created to lessen the negative impact of rapid urbanization. Private investments should be encouraged in order to effectively utilize natural resources and create more job opportunities. For example, by exploiting natural resources optimally and promoting tourism, more job opportunities can be created for the urban population. In order to encourage job creation, subsidies and grants should be provided to foreign and private investment in environment-friendly development projects. ## Knowledge of India Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana or HRIDAY was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2015 to promote preservation and revitalization of the rich cultural heritage of the country. The scheme aims to conserve heritage and an inclusive sustainable development of the heritage sites, by focussing not just on the monuments, but also its citizens, tourists and local businness. Some of the cities selected for the scheme are Ajmer, Amritsar, Amravati, Warangal, Puri, Kanchipuram, Varanasi and Velankanni. ## Population control The government at the local level in urban areas must provide medical health clinics and family planning centres to help reduce the high rates of population growth. Effective medical counselling and campaigns directed towards healthcare and hygiene and family planning options must be provided across the entire urban area with the sole purpose of controlling diseases and population growth. ## Satellite Cities Satellite cities are smaller cities located close to a larger or main city. A satellite city can operate independent of the large city. It, however, remains essentially a part of the large urban area with the main city at the centre. With the expansion of the main city and the burden of over-utilization on its various services, the government and the city planners have to decide on ways to relieve the pressure on the main city. Often, this is done by developing another smaller town or city located close to the main city and yet completely independent of it. Some of the features of a satellite city are: * It is smaller than the main city and is located close to it. * Satellite towns or cities are socially and economically independent, either completely or partially. They have their own shopping centers, vegetable and meat markets, clubs, cinema halls, museums, nursing homes, hospitals, fire brigades and other services. * Satellite cities are separated from the main city by a wide corridor of rural land or a green belt or even a river. In the course of time, satellite cities develop their own urban areas and have their own municipalities. * Satellite cities are well connected to the main town by metro rails, buses, motorways_etc. Example: Navi Mumbai has its own airport. * Many satellite towns or cities do not encourage the setting up of high-pollution generating industries and factories. * Satellite towns and cities encourage development of small-scale industries such as dairy farms, cottage industries, handicraft industries, jam factories, etc. * Satellite cities are mostly 'bedroom communities' or residential areas. People go to work in the main city and return to their homes in the satellite cities. Some examples of satellite cities in India are: - Main City: New Delhi-Satellite cities are Gurugram and Noida. - Main City: Mumbai-Satellite cities are Navi Mumbai and Thane. - Main City: Kolkata-Satellite cities are Rajarhat and Salt Lake City. - Main City: Hyderabad-Satellite city is Hightech city. - Main City: Pune-Satellite city is Pimpri-Chinchwad. ## Concept of Smart Cities What are smart cities? While the definition of a smart city is still evolving, a few things have become clear. Smart cities leverage information and communication technologies to enhance service levels, citizen well-being, sustainability and economic development including overall infrastructure, market viability and essential services to residents. Other features of smart cities are as follows: * They are usually compact in size. * They use information and communication technologies to increase operational efficiency and share information with the public. * It is an urban region that is highly advanced in terms of overall structure, sustainable real estate, communication and market viability. * Their economy, environment, governance, human capital (labour) international outreach, mobility, transportation management, social cohesion, technology and urban planning are taken into consideration while planning and developing. A smart city, therefore, is a highly advanced entity in all these areas. ## Smart Cities - Smart cities are urban regions that are highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure. - These cities have more effective data-driven decision-making.  - They have enhanced citizen and government engagement and deliver robust user-friendly digital services.  - They have safer communities as technology helps reduce criminal activities by installing CCTV cameras at very close distances. - With the rise of greenhouse gases, trashes in the streets, debris in the oceans, smart cities help reduce the negative effects on the environment. Planners ensure energy efficient buildings, install air quality sensors and renewable energy resources. - They have improved and efficient transport systems throughout. ## Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) **Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation** The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is a national urban renewal programme of the Government of India. The programme aims to improve the quality of life in urban areas. It aims to improve basic amenities such as water supply, sewerage and stormwater drainage. It also aims to improve the urban environment by promoting green spaces and public transportation. * They have efficient public utilities with limited supply of natural resources to meet human demand and provide tools needed to effectively conserve and use water and electricity. * They ensure adequate green cover and ensure a sustainable environment.  * The main purpose of a smart city is to improve the quality of life of the people by harnessing information technology and to push economic growth. Also, smart cities encourage area-based development by transforming existing areas, including slums into better-planned places so that people can live happily and comfortably. New areas are identified in such cities so that more people can be accommodated in the future. In India, 100 cities (as of 2023) have already been selected as 'Smart Cities' as part of the Smart Cities Mission. The mission includes Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Surat, Pune, Lucknow Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Vadodara, Kochi Visakhapatnam, Guwahati, Raipur, Bilaspur Durgapur, Indore, Gwalior, Rourkela Jabalpur and Bhopal. According to the 2023 Smart City Index, which was published by The Smart City Observation (a part of the Swiss Business School Institute for Management Development or IMD), Zurich is ranked first. Oslo and Canberra grabbed the third spot. ## The top 20 smart cities in the World (as in 2023) 1. Zurich, Switzerland 2. Oslo, Norway 3. Canberra, Australia 4. Copenhagen, Denmark 5. Lausanne, Switzerland 6. London, the UK 7. Singapore 8. Helsinki, Finland 9. Geneva, Switzerland 10. Stockholm, Sweden 11. Hamburg, Germany 12. Beijing, China 13. Abu Dhabi, UAE 14. Prague, Czechia 15. Amsterdam, Netherlands 16. Seoul, South Korea 17. Dubai, UAE 18. Sydney, Australia 19. Hong Kong, China 20. Munich, Germany The data was collected from over 20,000 citizens, who were queried on the following points: affordable housing, road congestion, green spaces, fulfilling employment needs, structures and technologies built to address their concerns and how comfortable the respondents were with technologies such as face recognition and sharing personal data to improve traffic congestion. ## HOTS Question What are some environmental challenges posed by urbanization, and how can they be addressed? ## Values and Life Skills You have read in the chapter that plans are being made to develop several cities in India into smart cities. This may however lead to these cities having unfair advantage in comparison to other cities. * Do you think the government should go ahead with its plan for smart cities or preserve its resources to ensure a balanced growth across India? Give reasons for your answer. ## Biography Ildefons Cerdà (1815-1876 CE) was a Spanish engineer, who wrote a paper in 1867 to describe the science of making cities. It is in this paper named 'General Theory of Urbanization' that he invented the word 'urbanization'. The term is used today to describe the process of expansion and redevelopment of cities. He issued only two volumes of the paper. The first was dedicated to urbanization as a fact, analysing how industrialization and new systems of mobility could transform cities. ## Exercises ### A. Choose the correct option. 1. Which of the following is not a cause of urbanization? - (i) Surplus jobs in villages - (iii) Better healthcare in cities - (ii) Rapid industrial growth in the city - (iv) Better education in cities 2. Which of the following is not a positive impact of urbanization? - (i) Modern communication skills - (iii) Lack of schools and colleges - (ii) Harmony among people - (iv) Experience in hightech industries 3. Which of the following is not a negative impact of urbanization? - (i) Rise in air pollution - (iii) Creation of slums - (ii) Destruction of forests and wetlands - (iv) Afforestation 4. Which of these does not help in population control? - (i) Family planning centres - (iii) Medical health clinics - (ii) Effective medical counselling - (iv) Creation of slums 5. Which of the these is not an example of a satellite city? - (i) Pimpri-Chinchwad - (ii) Gurugram - (iii) Salt Lake City - (iv) Rohtak ### B. Fill in the blanks. 1. Cities offer the migrant better _prospects for them or their children.\_ 2. Workers in cities get _better_ wages. 3. Rural areas act as the _source_ factor while urban areas are the _destination_ factor.  4. _Satellite_ towns or cities are socially and economically independent, either completely or partially. 5. In India, 100 cities have been selected as _Smart Cities_. ### C. Match the following columns. | A | B | | :-------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Urbanization | (i) Bedroom communities | | Rapid industrial growth | (ii) Satellite city: Hightech city | | Slums | (iii) Shift from rural areas to cities | | Satellite cities | (iv) Plenty of job opportunities | | Main city: Hyderabad | (v) Heavily populated, poor living conditions | ### E. State whether the following are true or false. Rewrite the false statements correctly. 1. Rapid industrial growth in and around the city leads to a lack of job opportunities. _False. Rapid industrial growth in and around the city provides plenty of job opportunities._ 2. People in the urban areas have less access to health, educational, cultural and social services than in rural areas. _False. People in urban areas have greater access to health, educational, cultural and social services than in rural areas._ 3. Slums are usually located on land not owned by the slum dwellers. _True._ 4. Satellite towns/cities are connected to the metropolis by trains and motorways. _True._ 5. Mumbai is one of the 100 cities selected as smart cities. _True_. ### E. Explain the differences between each the following pairs. 1. **Satellite cities and smart cities** - Satellite cities are smaller cities that are located near a larger city and are often more affordable and less densely populated than the main city. They may focus on residential development and provide some essential services, but often rely on the main city for employment and more specialized facilities. - Smart cities, on the other hand, are urban areas that are designed to be technologically advanced, efficient, and sustainable in their development, incorporating features such as smart grids, intelligent transportation systems, and data-driven management. They often focus on innovation, economic growth, and improving the quality of life for residents. 2. **Satellite cities and main cities** - Satellite cities are smaller cities that are located near a larger city and are often more affordable and less densely populated than the main city. They may focus on residential development and provide some essential services, but often rely on the main city for employment and more specialized facilities. - Main cities are typically larger, more densely populated, and more economically and culturally significant than satellite cities. They are often the centers of business, government, and transportation in a region. ### F. Answer the following questions in brief. 1. _Urbanization is the process of population shift from rural areas to urban areas, leading to the growth of cities and towns. This process leads to changes in population density, social structures, and the economic landscape of a region._ 2. List any three factors responsible for the urbanization of a place. * _The dearth of jobs in villages and the lack of opportunities to earn a livelihood draw people from the rural areas to the cities._ * _Industrial growth in and around cities provides plenty of job opportunities._ * _Cities offer better medical facilities, education, and healthcare services._ 3. Mention three ways in which the environment is affected by urbanization. * _Destruction of green areas and increase in built-up areas lead to an increase in city temperatures._ * _Overcrowding in cities leads to the problem of transportation. There is poor network of roads, inadequate public transport, which leads to traffic jams and further adds to the suffering of the people commuting._ * _Growth of slums in urban areas puts pressure on essential utilities such as clean drinking water, sanitation, power, etc._ 4. _Satellite cities are smaller cities that are located near a larger city and are often more affordable and less densely populated than the main city. They may focus on residential development and provide some essential services, but often rely on the main city for employment and more specialized facilities._ 5. Briefly mention the aspects of urban life which serve as the basis for the smart cities. * _Smart cities are technologically advanced, efficient, and sustainable in their development, incorporating features such as smart grids, intelligent transportation systems, and data-driven management._ * _They focus on innovation, economic growth, and improving the quality of life for residents._ * _They often have a strong emphasis on citizen engagement, collaboration, and open data sharing._ * _They aim to be environmentally responsible and use renewable energy resources. They also focus on promoting green spaces and sustainable transportation systems._ 6. What do you understand by smart cities? _Smart cities are urban areas that are designed to be technologically advanced, efficient, and sustainable in their development, incorporating features such as smart grids, intelligent transportation systems, and data-driven management. They often focus on innovation, economic growth, and improving the quality of life for residents._ 7. Mention any five smart cities in India. * _Bhubaneswar_ * _Jaipur_ * _Surat_ * _Pune_ * _Lucknow_ ### G. Answer the following questions. 1. What are the positive impacts of urbanization? - _Provides better access to social and economic opportunities._ - _Increases the availability of jobs and services, leading to higher incomes and improved living standards._ - _Promotes economic growth and development._ - _Leads to the development of technological innovation and infrastructure._ - _Offers access to better education, healthcare, and cultural amenities._ - _Provides a wider range of social and recreational opportunities._ 2. How does urbanization negatively impact the lives of people? - _Leads to overcrowding and housing shortages, resulting in high rents and poor living conditions._ - _Increases the cost of living and can put pressure on essential services such as water, sanitation, and electricity._ - _Can lead to job displacement and unemployment, especially for less-skilled workers._ - _Contributes to social and economic inequalities, creating division between affluent and disadvantaged groups._ - _Can result in environmental degradation, including air and water pollution, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity._ 3. Briefly explain ways of reducing the negative impact of urbanization. - _Investing in affordable housing and providing rent subsidies to reduce the pressure on housing costs._ - _Creating jobs and skills training programs, especially for low-skilled workers, to address unemployment._ - _Promoting sustainable urban development and implementing green infrastructure initiatives, such as renewable energy sources and efficient transportation systems._ - _Adopting urban planning strategies that prioritize public spaces, green areas, and pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure._ - _Enhancing community involvement and empowering local communities to participate in decision-making processes related to urban development._ - _Encouraging public transportation and promoting bike-sharing programs._ - _Implementing waste-management systems and reducing plastic usage._ 4. Elaborate the features of a satellite city. - _Satellite cities are smaller cities that are located near a larger city and are often more affordable and less densely populated than the main city._ - _They may focus on residential development and provide some essential services, but often rely on the main city for employment and more specialized facilities._ - _They usually have a less congested and more peaceful atmosphere than the main cities._ - _They often promote green spaces and sustainable living methods._ - _They usually have a more cohesive community atmosphere and a stronger sense of community belonging among residents._ 5. What are the essential features of a smart city? - _Smart cities are technologically advanced, efficient, and sustainable in their development, incorporating features such as smart grids, intelligent transportation systems, and data-driven management._ - _They often focus on innovation, economic growth, and improving the quality of life for residents._ - _They usually have a strong emphasis on citizen engagement, collaboration, and open data sharing._ - _They aim to be environmentally responsible and use renewable energy resources. They also focus on promoting green spaces and sustainable transportation systems._ 6. Give geographical reasons for: (i) urbanization; (ii) creation of slums. - _**Urbanization is driven by geographic factors such as:**_ - _Availability of resources, such as fertile land, water, and natural resources. People often move to areas with better access to resources._ - _The proximity of trade routes and transport networks. Cities tend to develop near important trade routes and transportation hubs._ - _The availability of industrial opportunities and job markets. Industries and businesses often concentrate in specific geographic locations, attracting workers and leading to urban growth._ - _Access to education, healthcare, and other amenities. Cities often offer a wider range of services and amenities than rural areas, attracting people who seek better opportunities. - _**The creation of slums is driven by geographic factors such as:**_ - _The influx of people due to urbanization. As cities grow rapidly, they may not have the infrastructure or housing capacity to accommodate the influx of people, leading to the development of slums._ - _The lack of access to affordable and legal housing in urban areas. People who cannot afford or access legal housing often resort to living in informal settlements, creating slums._ - _The presence of social and economic inequalities. Slums often develop in areas where the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are most concentrated, lacking access to basic services and opportunities._ ### H. Map work On the outline map of the world, mark any ten smart cities of the world. _See a map of the top 20 smart cities in the world._

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