Kanhu C. Pradhan is a Research Associate at the Centre for Policy Research.His current research interests look at patterns of urbanisation, interaction between rural and urban areas and migration in India. He has also worked on issues around Special Economic Zones (SEZs), urban economy and crime in urban areas.
Kanhu holds a Master's degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University and is currently pursuing his PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) are... more Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) are with the Centre for Policy Research, Delhi. The 2011 Census highlighted the enormous growth of census towns, which contributed more than one-third of the urban growth during 2001–11. Since the rural–urban identification process in India is ex ante, using past census data, the number of CTs that will be identified in 2019 for the 2021 Census are estimated. The present study finds that the importance of CTs will be maintained in the urban structure, and a significant share of urban population will continue to grow beyond municipal limits. The influence of large towns on the growth of CTs will be persistent in the future, but a more localised form of urbanisation is also evident where the effect of agglomeration is less. Such a pattern may be stable because these places are relatively more prosperous than their rural counterparts. The surge in the number of census towns (CTs) in the 2011 C...
The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in the last decade. The estimated contribu... more The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in the last decade. The estimated contribution of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal periods. Further, the data indicates a dispersed pattern of in situ urbanisation, with the reluctance of state policy to recognise new statutory towns partly responsible for the growth of new CTs. A growing share of India’s urban population, living in these CTs, is being governed under
Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) a... more Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) are researchers at Centre for Policy Research. The authors are immensely grateful to Partha Mukhopadhyay , Marie-Hélène Zérah and Aditya Bhol for their valuable comments in the draft. Usual disclaimers apply. This paper is written as part of the INDIA-URBAN RURAL BOUNDARIES AND BASIC SERVICES (IND-URBBS) research project, supported by the French National Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD). CENSUS TOWNS IN INDIA
This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in ... more This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in caste-based segregation longitudinally, while exploring how caste dynamics manifest differently across city size and region. The paper uses successive rounds of decennial census data, from 2001 and 2011. Contrary to expectations, we find residential segregation by caste/tribe persisting or worsening in 60 per cent of cities in our all-India sample, with differences by region and city size. For example, in the states of Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, a majority of cities experienced decreasing levels of residential segregation by caste/tribe, while in Maharashtra and Gujarat, 34 and 29 per cent of cities, respectively, experienced an increase. A greater proportion of small cities (population 20,000–49,999) than large cities (100,000–999,999) experienced an increase in residential segregation between 2001 and 2011. Across all city-size categories, the dominant trend has been no...
In most parts of the world there is a direct relation between economic and social well-being and ... more In most parts of the world there is a direct relation between economic and social well-being and political participation. India, though, is among the exceptions to this tendency. The poor in India vote more than the rich. This paper, using the case of Delhi, shows that neighbourhoods have a significant influence in voting patterns. The rich in poor neighbourhoods vote more than the rich in affluent neighbourhoods and the poor in rich neighbourhoods vote less than the poor in underprivileged neighbourhoods. This paper uses property tax and property categories to arrive at Delhi’s wealth parameters and then tries to match them with voting patterns.
The unexpected increase in the number of census towns
in the last census has thrust them into the... more The unexpected increase in the number of census towns in the last census has thrust them into the spotlight. The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in the last decade. The estimated contribution of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal periods. Further, the data indicates a dispersed pattern of in situ urbanisation, with the reluctance of state policy to recognise new statutory towns partly responsible for the growth of new CTs. A growing share of India’s urban population, living in these CTs, is being governed under the rural administrative framework, despite very different demographic and economic characteristics, which may affect their future growth.
The 2011 Census highlighted the enormous growth of
census towns, which contributed more than one-... more The 2011 Census highlighted the enormous growth of census towns, which contributed more than one-third of the urban growth during 2001–11. Since the rural–urban identification process in India is ex ante, using past census data, the number of CTs that will be identified in 2019 for the 2021 Census are estimated. The present study finds that the importance of CTs will be maintained in the urban structure, and a significant share of urban population will continue to grow beyond municipal limits. The influence of large towns on the growth of CTs will be persistent in the future, but a more localised form of urbanisation is also evident where the effect of agglomeration is less. Such a pattern may be stable because these places are relatively more prosperous than their rural counterparts.
This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in ... more This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in caste-based segregation longitudinally, while exploring how caste dynamics manifest differently across city size and region. The paper uses successive rounds of decennial census data, from 2001 and 2011. Contrary to expectations, we find residential segregation by caste/tribe persisting or worsening in 60 per cent of cities in our all-India sample, with differences by region and city size. For example, in the states of Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, a majority of cities experienced decreasing levels of residential segregation by caste/ tribe, while in Maharashtra and Gujarat, 34 and 29 per cent of cities, respectively, experienced an increase. A greater proportion of small cities (population 20,000-49,999) than large cities (100,000-999,999) experienced an increase in residential segregation between 2001 and 2011. Across all city-size categories, the dominant trend has been no improvement in residential segregation by caste/tribe over time.
In the context of the ongoing debate on land acquisition in India and its relationship to develop... more In the context of the ongoing debate on land acquisition in India and its relationship to development, this article presents an in-depth investigation of the characteristics of special economic zones (SEZs) in India. This includes the nature of exports and economic activity, their use of land and their location. It finds that a large majority of the SEZs are less than 1 sq. km, their exports focused on the information technology/information-technology-enabled service (IT/ITES) sector and refined petroleum, and located in a limited number of relatively advanced districts in a few states. Further, it is not the new SEZs, but the seven erstwhile EPZs and the 12 SEZs established between 2000 and 2005, which account for 90 per cent of the manufacturing exports from SEZs. Crucially, SEZs occupying 3 per cent of the land are responsible for 81 per cent of the total non-petroleum exports from SEZs. The nature of governance in these SEZs, which are also often seen as incipient urban settlements, is tenuous and non-representative. The article concludes with a discussion on the nexus of land, development and urbanization. It argues that the resistance to land acquisition is related to both acquisition processes and the relative costs and benefits of recent development initiatives, of which SEZs are an integral part.
The unexpected increase in the number of census towns (CTs) in the last census has thrust them in... more The unexpected increase in the number of census towns (CTs) in the last census has thrust them into the spotlight. Using a hitherto unexploited dataset, it is found that many of the new CTs satisfied the requisite criteria in 2001 itself; mitigating concerns of inflated urbanisation. The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in last decade, with large inter - state variations. They are responsible for almost the entire growth in urbanisation in Kerala and almost none in Chhattisgarh. Consequently, the estimated contribution of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal periods. Further, while some new CTs are concentrated around million - plus cities, more than four - fifths are situated outside the proximity of such cities, with a large majority not even near Class I towns, though they form part of local agglomerations. This indicates a dispersed pattern of in - situ urbanisation. A growing share of urban population in these CTs is thus being governed under the rural administrative framework, despite very different demographic and economic characteristics, which may affect their future growth.
Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) are... more Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) are with the Centre for Policy Research, Delhi. The 2011 Census highlighted the enormous growth of census towns, which contributed more than one-third of the urban growth during 2001–11. Since the rural–urban identification process in India is ex ante, using past census data, the number of CTs that will be identified in 2019 for the 2021 Census are estimated. The present study finds that the importance of CTs will be maintained in the urban structure, and a significant share of urban population will continue to grow beyond municipal limits. The influence of large towns on the growth of CTs will be persistent in the future, but a more localised form of urbanisation is also evident where the effect of agglomeration is less. Such a pattern may be stable because these places are relatively more prosperous than their rural counterparts. The surge in the number of census towns (CTs) in the 2011 C...
The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in the last decade. The estimated contribu... more The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in the last decade. The estimated contribution of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal periods. Further, the data indicates a dispersed pattern of in situ urbanisation, with the reluctance of state policy to recognise new statutory towns partly responsible for the growth of new CTs. A growing share of India’s urban population, living in these CTs, is being governed under
Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) a... more Shamindra Nath Roy (shamindra@cprindia.org) and Kanhu Charan Pradhan (kcpradhan@cprindia.org) are researchers at Centre for Policy Research. The authors are immensely grateful to Partha Mukhopadhyay , Marie-Hélène Zérah and Aditya Bhol for their valuable comments in the draft. Usual disclaimers apply. This paper is written as part of the INDIA-URBAN RURAL BOUNDARIES AND BASIC SERVICES (IND-URBBS) research project, supported by the French National Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD). CENSUS TOWNS IN INDIA
This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in ... more This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in caste-based segregation longitudinally, while exploring how caste dynamics manifest differently across city size and region. The paper uses successive rounds of decennial census data, from 2001 and 2011. Contrary to expectations, we find residential segregation by caste/tribe persisting or worsening in 60 per cent of cities in our all-India sample, with differences by region and city size. For example, in the states of Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, a majority of cities experienced decreasing levels of residential segregation by caste/tribe, while in Maharashtra and Gujarat, 34 and 29 per cent of cities, respectively, experienced an increase. A greater proportion of small cities (population 20,000–49,999) than large cities (100,000–999,999) experienced an increase in residential segregation between 2001 and 2011. Across all city-size categories, the dominant trend has been no...
In most parts of the world there is a direct relation between economic and social well-being and ... more In most parts of the world there is a direct relation between economic and social well-being and political participation. India, though, is among the exceptions to this tendency. The poor in India vote more than the rich. This paper, using the case of Delhi, shows that neighbourhoods have a significant influence in voting patterns. The rich in poor neighbourhoods vote more than the rich in affluent neighbourhoods and the poor in rich neighbourhoods vote less than the poor in underprivileged neighbourhoods. This paper uses property tax and property categories to arrive at Delhi’s wealth parameters and then tries to match them with voting patterns.
The unexpected increase in the number of census towns
in the last census has thrust them into the... more The unexpected increase in the number of census towns in the last census has thrust them into the spotlight. The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in the last decade. The estimated contribution of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal periods. Further, the data indicates a dispersed pattern of in situ urbanisation, with the reluctance of state policy to recognise new statutory towns partly responsible for the growth of new CTs. A growing share of India’s urban population, living in these CTs, is being governed under the rural administrative framework, despite very different demographic and economic characteristics, which may affect their future growth.
The 2011 Census highlighted the enormous growth of
census towns, which contributed more than one-... more The 2011 Census highlighted the enormous growth of census towns, which contributed more than one-third of the urban growth during 2001–11. Since the rural–urban identification process in India is ex ante, using past census data, the number of CTs that will be identified in 2019 for the 2021 Census are estimated. The present study finds that the importance of CTs will be maintained in the urban structure, and a significant share of urban population will continue to grow beyond municipal limits. The influence of large towns on the growth of CTs will be persistent in the future, but a more localised form of urbanisation is also evident where the effect of agglomeration is less. Such a pattern may be stable because these places are relatively more prosperous than their rural counterparts.
This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in ... more This paper analyses residential segregation over time in Indian cities. We examine the change in caste-based segregation longitudinally, while exploring how caste dynamics manifest differently across city size and region. The paper uses successive rounds of decennial census data, from 2001 and 2011. Contrary to expectations, we find residential segregation by caste/tribe persisting or worsening in 60 per cent of cities in our all-India sample, with differences by region and city size. For example, in the states of Karnataka, Haryana, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, a majority of cities experienced decreasing levels of residential segregation by caste/ tribe, while in Maharashtra and Gujarat, 34 and 29 per cent of cities, respectively, experienced an increase. A greater proportion of small cities (population 20,000-49,999) than large cities (100,000-999,999) experienced an increase in residential segregation between 2001 and 2011. Across all city-size categories, the dominant trend has been no improvement in residential segregation by caste/tribe over time.
In the context of the ongoing debate on land acquisition in India and its relationship to develop... more In the context of the ongoing debate on land acquisition in India and its relationship to development, this article presents an in-depth investigation of the characteristics of special economic zones (SEZs) in India. This includes the nature of exports and economic activity, their use of land and their location. It finds that a large majority of the SEZs are less than 1 sq. km, their exports focused on the information technology/information-technology-enabled service (IT/ITES) sector and refined petroleum, and located in a limited number of relatively advanced districts in a few states. Further, it is not the new SEZs, but the seven erstwhile EPZs and the 12 SEZs established between 2000 and 2005, which account for 90 per cent of the manufacturing exports from SEZs. Crucially, SEZs occupying 3 per cent of the land are responsible for 81 per cent of the total non-petroleum exports from SEZs. The nature of governance in these SEZs, which are also often seen as incipient urban settlements, is tenuous and non-representative. The article concludes with a discussion on the nexus of land, development and urbanization. It argues that the resistance to land acquisition is related to both acquisition processes and the relative costs and benefits of recent development initiatives, of which SEZs are an integral part.
The unexpected increase in the number of census towns (CTs) in the last census has thrust them in... more The unexpected increase in the number of census towns (CTs) in the last census has thrust them into the spotlight. Using a hitherto unexploited dataset, it is found that many of the new CTs satisfied the requisite criteria in 2001 itself; mitigating concerns of inflated urbanisation. The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in last decade, with large inter - state variations. They are responsible for almost the entire growth in urbanisation in Kerala and almost none in Chhattisgarh. Consequently, the estimated contribution of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal periods. Further, while some new CTs are concentrated around million - plus cities, more than four - fifths are situated outside the proximity of such cities, with a large majority not even near Class I towns, though they form part of local agglomerations. This indicates a dispersed pattern of in - situ urbanisation. A growing share of urban population in these CTs is thus being governed under the rural administrative framework, despite very different demographic and economic characteristics, which may affect their future growth.
Uploads
Papers by Kanhu Charan Pradhan
in the last census has thrust them into the spotlight.
The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban
growth in the last decade. The estimated contribution
of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal
periods. Further, the data indicates a dispersed pattern
of in situ urbanisation, with the reluctance of state policy
to recognise new statutory towns partly responsible for the growth of new CTs. A growing share of India’s urban population, living in these CTs, is being governed under the rural administrative framework, despite very
different demographic and economic characteristics, which may affect their future growth.
census towns, which contributed more than one-third of
the urban growth during 2001–11. Since the rural–urban
identification process in India is ex ante, using past
census data, the number of CTs that will be identified in
2019 for the 2021 Census are estimated. The present
study finds that the importance of CTs will be maintained
in the urban structure, and a significant share of urban
population will continue to grow beyond municipal
limits. The influence of large towns on the growth of CTs will be persistent in the future, but a more localised form of urbanisation is also evident where the effect of agglomeration is less. Such a pattern may be stable because these places are relatively more prosperous than their rural counterparts.
in the last census has thrust them into the spotlight.
The new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban
growth in the last decade. The estimated contribution
of migration is similar to that in previous intercensal
periods. Further, the data indicates a dispersed pattern
of in situ urbanisation, with the reluctance of state policy
to recognise new statutory towns partly responsible for the growth of new CTs. A growing share of India’s urban population, living in these CTs, is being governed under the rural administrative framework, despite very
different demographic and economic characteristics, which may affect their future growth.
census towns, which contributed more than one-third of
the urban growth during 2001–11. Since the rural–urban
identification process in India is ex ante, using past
census data, the number of CTs that will be identified in
2019 for the 2021 Census are estimated. The present
study finds that the importance of CTs will be maintained
in the urban structure, and a significant share of urban
population will continue to grow beyond municipal
limits. The influence of large towns on the growth of CTs will be persistent in the future, but a more localised form of urbanisation is also evident where the effect of agglomeration is less. Such a pattern may be stable because these places are relatively more prosperous than their rural counterparts.