Far too many people are headed towards cities and towns in search of a livelihood. With urban areas not able to cope with the continuous inflow, the migrants find themselves living in squalor and deprivation – what price city life?
 
 The world is heading towards a demographic transition. Every year urban areas gain approximately 67 million people, i.e. more than one million people per week. The number of urban settlements in India increased from 1843 in the year 1951 to 3768 in 1991. In 2001, 25.72% of the total population was living in urban areas. Delhi alone has witnessed a 45 lakh jump in population in the last decade. As a consequence, there has been a rapid increase in pressure on infrastructure facilities like shelter, drinking water and sanitation.   

        Infrastructure in many cities is already at choking levels and there could be a chaotic mess soon unless something is done. Slums and shanty towns are growing at twice the rate of planned housing. With migration fuelled urbanization, traffic and industrialization, the environmental problems related to air, water and land pollution are increasing alarmingly. On an average, only 60% of the solid waste is collected by the municipal authorities, the rest of the 40% remains strewn around the locality. Sanitation and solid waste disposal are most often inappropriate and inadequate. Even today, 37% of urban Indians live without basic toilet facilities. 

        Migration to urban areas is an important factor affecting the course of socio-economic development in India. Accelerated movement of people originating mainly from the rural and backward areas in search of employment has been one of the most important features of the labour market scenario in India during the post-Independence period. According to the 1991 Census, 226 million persons have changed their places of residence within the country. Such large-scale labour migration has raised a number of concerns in relation to the social and economic policy framework in India. These include not just concerns of urbanization but the social and political marginalization of migrant workers as well.

        The reason for such changes in the urban demographic pattern can be attributed to various reasons. Post Independence when industrialization was in its infancy and we were on the process of setting up industries, urban India and the  bigger towns got the chunk of industries. This meant jobs were available for people in towns leaving agriculture as the only means of employment for people living in rural India. As time passed by, with the boom in number of industries there was requirement of more labour and the rural population started migrating to the cities in search of jobs. Better infrastructure, security for life brought people into these big towns but not all who came secured jobs. Those who were unsuccessful in earning a living turned to crime and other anti-social activities; thereby not only damaging the social fabric of our cities but also making them unsafe for living. The metropolitan cities with their ever-growing population but limited job opportunities, with time have become breeding grounds of crime and corruption.

        Most families in big metros have working couples. To take care of their household chores, domestic help is in huge demand. This has led to yet another migrant force –  maids and servants. This working population settles into slums  where there is inadequate sanitation and hygiene. While there are numerous problems associated with the growing migrant population, what cannot be overlooked is that they satisfy the demand for cheap labour and additional workforce in cities.

        To look at the issue from a larger perspective, one could attribute faulty policies as one of the precursors. The policies have not been in keeping with the need to safeguard the interests of the urban and rural people. While one recognizes the need to build a modern India with big towns and cities we  cannot at the same time neglect issues pertaining to rural India. Infrastructure development, basic amenities, opportunities to earn a living,  education and health services, have been privileges available mainly to the urban class, why then should we wonder at the immigration of people from rural areas to towns in search of a better life?

        To tackle problem of such magnitude, we have to look at all aspects that have resulted in increasing migration. Emphasis has to be given to providing education both at primary and higher levels to the youth of rural and peri-urban areas. Higher education centres in small towns should be provided with adequate infrastructure and requisite faculty so that aspiring students do not have to flock to colleges in selected areas. Education in rural areas will also encourage young people to explore vocations other than agriculture. Forestry, fisheries and other  non-farm activities need to be promoted.

        Moreover, a holistic approach to development should be considered to correct the rural-urban imbalance. Delhi’s Master Plan is a classic example of the short sightedness of urban planners. To stop the inflow of migrants, the Plan encourages establishment of non-labour intensive industries, instead of creating job opportunities in villages. But the larger issue is that urban policy makers can no longer afford to keep their hands off rural development. To provide employment in rural areas, policy measures like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the Food for Work Programme are a step in the right direction. However, without effective implementation and periodical monitoring of results, the very spirit of rural empowerment will be defeated.

                Measures like relocating  slum dwellers into colonies and providing health and sanitation facilities for the urban slums have to be taken up on a war footing. To address problems of exploitation of migrant workers, especially women in urban centres, community groups and citizens in general, need to keep a close watch and get more proactive.q

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