Now Reading: India’s Cities Grow Faster Than Its Politics Can Adapt
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India’s Cities Grow Faster Than Its Politics Can Adapt
Around a third of Indians now live in cities, up from 25% in 1990, and the share is expected to reach 40% by the end of this decade, The New Indian Express…
The Story in Brief
Around a third of Indians now live in cities, up from 25% in 1990, and the share is expected to reach 40% by the end of this decade, The New Indian Express reports. Urbanisation has followed policy efforts including the Mega City scheme, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation and Smart Cities Mission. But institutional capacity has lagged behind urban growth. Rising rents, gig work, cramped housing and gated communities sit alongside greater anonymity and mobility. The article argues that India’s politics remains focused on rural voters, while municipal bodies lack the power needed to respond to urban pressures.
The Indian Opinion
Claims that city growth automatically means modernity are too easy. So is the opposite story that urbanisation simply destroys community. Cities can loosen inherited hierarchies, but poor planning, unequal access to land and weak public spaces can deepen division. The practical test is whether municipal governments gain real authority and resources. Without that, the projected 40% urban share will bring bigger populations without better city government.
Source: newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
