Envisioning Urbanization Process, Issues, Extent, Drivers and Implications: A Case of Mountainous Union Territory of J and K
Envisioning Urbanization Process, Issues, Extent, Drivers and Implications: A Case of Mountainous Union Territory of J and K
Masudul Haq Wani and Arshad Bhat*
ABSTRACT
The paper has used census data of 1901-2011 to examine and understand the process of urbanization in J&K UT and has laid its utmost emphasis on the urban morphology and degree of level urbanization. Attempts have also been made to assess the changes in workforce structure and food availability and consumption pattern in the UT over the years. The study also analyses the inter-district scenario of urban growth and its level and extent in to consideration. The annual exponential growth rate of urban population in India has gone down from 0.97 per cent during 1981-91 to 0.77 per cent during 1991-2001 and in Jammu and Kashmir during the same period it has reduced from 1.06 to 0.58. The study shows that city populace within the area has accelerated from 7.42 to 33.00 percentage as towards 10.84 to 38.70 at national level. During last two decades, developed districts based on per capita income such as Srinagar and Jammu have shown low growth in urban population. The study make a sound point that in the UT the up rise in urban population was not observed in old cities like Jammu and Srinagar but the less advanced districts like Kupwara, Kargil and Leh. The study further reveals that as income rises, expenditure on fruits, milk and milk-product, meat, eggs and fish increases and expenditure on cereals, pulses and other primary products decreases. The expenditure on meat, egg, fish and fruits and vegetables as a percentage of total food expenditure has increased. With regard to male cultivators in part of Srinagar has shown a substantial decline from -1.59 during 1981-2001 to -9.01 during 2001-11. But for female cultivators, the growth rate has remained almost same. From the results it can be observed that availability and production of essential food grains (per capita) decreased over the reference period substantially. On the basis of results drawn, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions on how to check the urbanization in the UT.
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