National Commission on Urbanization in India

National Commission on Urbanization in India

Subject – Polity

Context – The general approach towards urban empowerment, including financial capabilities, has remained piecemeal in India according to RBI report

Concept –

• In 1986, the Government of India appointed National Commission on Urbanization comprising Shri C.M. Correa as its Chairman.
• It was entrusted with the task of making a comprehensive and in-depth study of the various facets of the process of urbanization, and the issues arising therefrom, especially concerning urban planning and development, structure, organization, powers, functions, and the status of the existing urban local government institutions.
• The commission recommended for promoting 329 new growth centres and emphasized upon strengthening of the existing larger metropolises.
• It recommended the following measures:
  • Creating employment
  • Opening up hinterlands
  • Generating wealth with equity
  • Be engines of growth
  • Be the catalysts of social transformation and modernization of economy and society
• It classified the cities based on economic momentum into national priority cities, state priority cities and spatial priority urbanization regions and the small towns, which serve the rural hinterland. It also recommended providing opportunities for the growth of small and intermediate level towns so that the migration rush is reduced in the metropolitan centres.

Facts on Urbanisation

• There are nearly 5,000 statutory towns and an equal number of census towns in India.
• Nearly 35% of the population lives in urban centres.
• And, nearly two-thirds of the country’s GDP stems from cities and almost 90% of government revenue flows from urban centres.

Schemes/Programmes Related to Urban Development

• Smart Cities: To promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of Smart Solutions.
• AMRUT Mission: To ensure that every household has access to a tap with the assured supply of water and a sewerage connection.
• Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban: Aims at making urban India free from open defecation and achieving 100% scientific management of municipal solid waste in 4,041 statutory towns in the country.
• HRIDAY: The National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY), aims to bring together urban planning, economic growth and heritage conservation in an inclusive manner & with the objective of preserving the heritage character of the City.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban: Addresses Urban housing shortage among the Urban Poor including the Slum Dwellers by ensuring a pucca house to eligible urban poor.