Lok Sabha Question No. 1665 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-09
Subject: World Bank Report on Urbanization
Ministry: URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: JAYADEV GALLA

No.1665

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1665

TO BE ANSWERED ON DECEMBER 09, 2015

WORLD BANK REPORT ON URBANIZATION

SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

Will the Minister of URBAN DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  World  Bank  has  issued  a  report  on  urbanization  in  the
- country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government to World Bank report's observation that urbanization in India is 'messy and
- hidden';
- (c)  the  reasons  for  the  difference  in  figures  between  the  World  Bank which says that 55.3% of country's total population are in urban whereas
- the 2011 census says that the figure is 30.9%; and
- (d) the extent to which the Smart City concept helps to reduce the gap between  the  figure  of  the  World  Bank  and  the  Government  of  India census?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) &  (b):  Yes  Madam.  The  World  Bank  group  has  released  a  report titled  'Leveraging  Urbanisation  in  South  Asia'.    The  Government  is seized  with  the  challenges  posed  by  rapid  urbanisation  and  other observations  in  the  World  Bank's  report.    The  Government  has launched  many  initiatives  like  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and Urban  Transformation  (AMRUT)  for  infrastructure  and  Governance support  to  500  cities,  Smart  Cities  Mission,  Swachh  Bharat  Mission and HRIDAY. Government also supports and facilitates urban reform agenda and capacity building initiatives of State Government.

(c)   :  The difference in the estimates of urban population between the World Bank Report and the Government of India's census 2011 report is primarily due to the difference in definition used. The Agglomeration  Index  used  by  the  World  Bank,  is  based  on  three parameters:  population  density  (at  least  150  people  per  square kilometre), a threshold population of a 'large' urban centre (50,000), and a maximum travel time to that centre (60 minutes).  The Indian Census  defines  an  urban  area  as  (I)  all  places  with  a  municipality, corporation, cantonment board or notified town area committee, etc; and  (II)  all  other  places  which  satisfy  the  criteria  of  (i)  a  minimum population  of  5,000  ;  (ii)  at  least  75%  of  male  working  population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits; and (iii) a density of population of at least 400 persons per square kilometre.

(d)  :  Development  of  Smart  Cities  is  a  step  towards  comprehensive development of physical, institutional, social and economic infrastructure to address  the  challenges  of increasing trend of urbanisation.    The  purpose  of  Smart  Cities  Mission  is  to  drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of people by enabling 'Area  based'  development  and  harnessing  technology.    This  Area based development will transform existing areas into better planned ones through Retrofitting and Redevelopment models.

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