The Limitations of an Outdated Census Definition
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Indian Geography (Urbanization, Settlement patterns); Indian Polity and Governance (Local Self Government - Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) vs. Panchayats, 73rd & 74th Amendments); Demography (Census of India).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1 (Society/Geography): Urbanization, their problems and their remedies. This is a core topic.
General Studies Paper 2 (Polity & Governance): Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein. The issue of Census Towns is a key governance challenge.
Key Highlights from the News
Registrar General of India decided to use the same criteria as 2011 to define an "urban area" in the Census 2027.
Although this decision aims for comparison with old data, the article argues that this outdated definition obscures the true picture of India's urbanization and causes numerous administrative problems.
Main Problems:
Census Towns, which have urban characteristics but remain under Gram Panchayats, do not receive necessary urban governance or infrastructure. This leads to a "governance gap".
This results in an undercount of urban populations in India.
The criterion "75% male workers must be engaged in non-agricultural activities" is outdated. It ignores women's informal work and fails to consider changing employment scenarios.
As India's rural–urban distinctions become more complex, this rigid definition does not reflect reality.
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