With an increase in population, the pressure on its infrastructure increases proportionately. Its burden can be felt more in bigger cities and towns, elucidates Anushka Singh and spells out how government department and agencies are implementing development projects and devising holistic development policies with a futuristic approach.
In April 2023, India became the most populous country in the world. As per the data provided by the United Nations, India with 142.86 crore people has surpassed China, with a population of 142.57 crore, to become the world’s most populous nation.
With an increase in population, the pressure on its infrastructure increases in direct proportion. The burden can be felt more in bigger cities and towns which are more densely populated and the dependence on these variables is already very high. Infrastructure challenges remain high in the areas of housing, transportation (roadways, railways, etc.) and basic amenities.
Government departments and agencies are constantly trying to keep up with the increasing demand by authorising and implementing development projects and devising holistic development policies with a futuristic approach.
India is the fifth largest economy in the world and all the economic indicators are in favour of a booming India. As per the International Monetary Fund, the Indian economy has a ten-year average growth rate of 6.49 per cent. The most populous nation in the world, India has the largest workforce in the world with a median age of 28.2 years, as per the World Population Prospect.
In any developing nation, the low rate of urbanisation is often caused by the lack of urban infrastructure. The problems are only compounded when there’s more pressure on existing infrastructure because of rapid population growth. A lower rate of urbanisation hampers the potential of the urban sector to contribute progressively to the national gross domestic product.
Urban infrastructure
It’s extremely important to develop necessary urban infrastructure in order to boost the economic indicators. A survey undertaken by the Asian Development Bank indicated that bigger cities in India such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, etc., have better provision of infra facilities for their residents.
In November 2022, a new report issued by the World Bank – Financing India’s Urban Infrastructure Needs: Constraints to Commercial Financing and Prospects for Policy Action – estimated that over the next decade and a half, India will need to invest USD 840 billion into urban infrastructure to effectively meet the needs of a fast-growing urban population. This amounts to an average investment of USD 55 billion per year.
In India, migration towards urban cities is happening at a fast rate. Estimates reveal that by 2036, more than 600 million people – 40 per cent of the total population of the country – will be living in urban centres or cities. So, the challenge is multi-headed. Not only is the rapid population growth presenting a challenge, the increasing number of people shifting to cities pose a different set of challenges for the country.
More people in the cities mean there’s an additional pressure on the existing resources, urban infrastructure and natural resources as well. Increased rate of migration from rural to urban India translates to increase in the demand for proper sanitation, clean drinking water, safe and efficient transportation facilities and electricity or power supply, in cities.
Moving ahead, there is a need to involve diverse entities in the urban infrastructure financing process and experiment with the various partnership modes available. Presently, it’s the state and central government agencies that are financing most of the urban infrastructure requirements in cities. The investment or financing by state and central government bodies amounts to about 75 per cent of the total cost. And, urban local bodies are financing about 15 per cent of the city infrastructure.
There has been an increasing demand that more private investment avenues must be explored for creating robust and futuristic city infrastructure – to meet the demands presented by rapid population growth and migration in cities. At the moment, a very small portion of urban infrastructure is financed by private sources, a meagre five per cent of the infrastructure needs of Indian cities.
Housing challenges
Overpopulation has put a lot of pressure on the housing sector in India. Affordable housing for all is a dream for any administration. It translates to housing which is affordable for the nation’s low-income and moderate-income population groups. Rapid population growth and unplanned urbanisation has resulted in millions of people living in slums in cities in India.
As per the latest estimates, more than six and a half crore Indians live in slums. Of these, one crore each are living in slums in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh where the population percentage living in slums is 10.54 per cent and 12.04 per cent, respectively.
Affordable housing in clean, hygienic conditions and available with basic amenities such as sanitation, water and power is critical for social and economic development. It helps in poverty alleviation and lowers the healthcare burden on the government. And, it has been a nightmare for every city in providing affordable housing to its people.
Other than the increasing population, it is rapid urbanisation that has led to an exponential rise in the demand for safe and affordable housing. Local administrations and governments are striving to reduce gentrification but serious hurdles exist in implementing policies and schemes – unsustainable development plans, flawed policies, less emphasis on long-term solutions, actual shortage of land in dense city centres, etc.
Sustainable solutions
In the years to come, existing cities growing bigger and more towns turning into cities, is inevitable. There are more resources and opportunities in cities which lead to migration from smaller towns and rural areas. The solution to problems in urbans areas emanating from population growth is dependent on smart urban planning with sustainable solutions and infrastructure development keeping future trend and demands in sight.
Additionally, emphasis must be paid on developing rural zones in a sustainable manner and creating enough employment opportunities to slow down migration from towns and villages to cities. This can be done by supporting and promoting cottage and small-scale industries, modernising agriculture and implementing reforms to empower the small farmer and making available credit mechanisms for farmers in an increasing unpredictable, climate-change driven agro-economy.
The government has been rolling out schemes and devising futuristic policies to ensure infrastructure demands of an increasing population are met. Demands of housing, healthcare, education, etc., are posing serious challenges. With increased awareness about sustainable living and sustainable development, local and state administrations are looking at alternatives to alleviate the pressure put on natural resources – land, water, forest, air – by an increasing population.
Political will also plays an important role in quick implementation of existing schemes. For example, one of the most significant and large-scale housing schemes recently undertaken by the Indian government – the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) implemented since June 2015 to provide all weather pucca houses to all eligible beneficiaries in the urban areas – has been very effective in providing affordable housing.
The Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs has initiated Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs), a sub-scheme under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U) to provide ease of living to urban migrants in Industrial Sector as well as in non-formal urban economy to get access to dignified affordable rental housing close to their workplace.
The government of India’s Jal Jeevan Mission initiated in 2019 aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. The Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban) aims to provide universal coverage of water supply to all households through functional taps in all 4,378 statutory towns in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 6. It will cover the 2.68 crore estimated gap in urban household tap connections.
Anushka Singh works with DraftCraft International as a Media Researcher and writes mostly on issues affecting the Fourth Estate. She likes reading contrarian literature and analysing sources of news.