On the basis of the size and occupation of settlements, the population is divided into two categories: rural and urban. The rural population is made up of small settlements scattered across the countryside. The urban population consists of people who live in large settlements, such as towns and cities. The Rural-Urban Composition is a key indicator of the social and economic characteristics of a nation. This article will explain to you about Rural-Urban Composition will be helpful in preparing Geography for the UPSC Civil service exam.

What exactly is Rural-Urban Composition?

• On the basis of the size and occupation of settlements, the population is divided into two categories: rural and urban.
• The rural population is made up of small settlements strewn across the countryside.
• The urban population consists of people who live in large settlements, such as towns and cities.
• However, this division is based on occupational structure, which is more important.

• Males outnumber females in rural areas in Western countries, while females outnumber males in urban areas.
• In countries such as Nepal, Pakistan, and India, the situation is just the opposite.
• The influx of females from rural areas to urban areas in the United States, Canada, and Europe has resulted in an overabundance of females in these areas.
• In these developed countries, farming is heavily mechanized and largely a male-dominated occupation.
• Due to the predominance of male migration, the sex ratio in Asian urban areas remains male-dominated.
• Women are discouraged from migrating from rural to urban areas due to a lack of housing, a high cost of living, a scarcity of job opportunities, and a lack of security.

Rural-Urban Composition in India

• The composition of the population by their respective places of residence is an important indicator of social and economic characteristics.

• India's population is distributed across more than 5.8 lakh villages and 4,615 towns.
• India is referred to as a "country of villages" in popular..
• Villages still account for roughly 72 percent of India's total population.
• However, the proportion of people living in rural areas has been decreasing with each census.
• As a result, the proportion of urban residents to the total population has been steadily increasing.
• 2001 Census: For the first time since independence, urban areas saw a greater increase in population than rural areas.
• 68.84 % of the population lived in rural areas, while 31.16 % lived in cities.
• The percentage of people living in cities increased from 27.81 % in the 2001 census to 31.16 % in the 2011 census.
• The proportion of people living in rural areas has decreased from 72.19 % to 68.84 %.

Rural and Urban Population in India, 1901-2011

Reasons for Declining Rural Population

• It's because the urban population is growing at a faster rate than the rural population.
• The urban population has grown at a rate of 31.13 percent, compared to an average growth rate of around 21.34 percent in 2001.
• This expansion, however, is not solely due to natural population growth.
• In fact, a large portion of the urban population growth is due to a high rate of migration from rural to urban areas.
• This also points to a gradual shift in people's occupations from primary to secondary and tertiary activities.
• Municipal or city Corporation boundaries are frequently extended to include neighboring villages or suburbs.

Metropolitan Cities

• Only five states account for half of India's urban population.
• Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh are the five states.
• Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and the Union Territory of Delhi account for roughly 32% of the country's urban population.
• The remaining urban population (roughly 18%) is dispersed across the remaining states and Union Territories.
• According to the 2001 census, 35 cities have populations of over 10,00,000 people each.
• The metropolitan or million-plus cities are what they're called.
• These 35 cities make up the metropolitan area. The population of cities accounts for 37.8% of the total population.
• If the current trend continues, India will be in serious trouble.
• The metropolitan area is expanding at a breakneck pace.
• Cities will bring with them a slew of issues, including housing, electricity, water, education, dispensaries, ration stores, and so on.

Rural Development Schemes By Government of India

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana

• The scheme was launched on December 25, 2000, by then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• This scheme aims to improve rural road connectivity.
• This ensures long-term poverty reduction because people are given the opportunity to connect with the rest of the world.
• Several villagers have benefited from the scheme, and it is assisting them in leading better lives.

Grameen Kaushalya Yojana Deen Dayal Upadhyaya

• The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana is part of the National Livelihood Mission.
• This aims to meet the career aspirations of rural youth while also diversifying rural families' income.
• The scheme, which was launched on September 25, 2014, is aimed primarily at rural youth aged 15 to 35 who come from poor families.
• A total of Rs 1500 crores has been set aside for the scheme, which will aid in the improvement of employability.

National Rural Livelihood Mission/Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)

• In 2011, it was redesigned as the National Rural Livelihood Mission.
• This scheme, also known as Ajeevika, aims to empower women through a self-help model across the country.
• The World Bank aided the scheme, which aimed to create efficient and effective institutional platforms for the poor.
• It also contributed to increased household income by facilitating access to financial services.

Prime Minister Rural Development Fellows Scheme

• The Prime Minister Rural Development Fellowship (PMRDF) is a programme run by the Ministry of Rural Development in collaboration with state governments.
• Its two main objectives are to provide
• short-term assistance to district administrations in underdeveloped and remote areas of the country
• to develop competent and committed leaders and facilitators who can serve as long-term resources.

National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA)

• According to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) of 2005, any rural household adult who is willing to do unskilled manual work for 100 days in a financial year is guaranteed 100 days of employment.
• The Act is about working people and their fundamental right to a dignified life.
• The Act is about working people and their fundamental right to a dignified life.
• If a person is unemployed for more than 15 days, he is eligible for unemployment benefits.

Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY)

• The Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) was established in 2001 to help the poor find work.
• It also aimed to provide food to people living in poverty-stricken areas and improve their nutritional status.
• This Yojana also had the goal of providing social and economic assets to people living in rural areas.
• Contractors or middlemen were not employed as part of the plan.

Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY)

• The Government of India launched the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY) in 2014 as a rural development project.
• Under this scheme, each Member of Parliament will be assigned to three villages.
• They will be responsible for their personal, human, social, environmental, and economic development.
• The standard of living and quality of life in the villages would significantly improve as a result of this.

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin)/ Indira Awas Yojana

• Indira Awas Yojana was renamed as Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana in 2016.
• It is an Indian government welfare program that aims to provide housing to the country's rural poor.
• The scheme's goal is to provide housing for all citizens until 2022.
• The cost of building the houses will be split between the central government and the state government.

Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY)

• The Antyodaya Anna Yojana was launched in 2000 by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• This was aimed to provide food grains at subsidized rates to around 2 crore people.
• Families living below the poverty line (BPL) were given 35 kg of food grains as part of the scheme.
• Rice was given out at a rate of Rs 3/kg, and wheat was given out at a rate of Rs 2/kg.
• The scheme began in Rajasthan and has since expanded to include all Indian states.

Provision of Urban Amenities In Rural Areas (PURA)

• Former President APJ Abdul Kalam proposed the PURA strategy for rural development in India in his book Target 3 billion.
• To create opportunities outside of cities, PURA proposes that urban infrastructure and services be provided in rural areas.
• This will also prevent youth from migrating from rural to urban areas.

Conclusion

The urbanization process has only recently begun in many developing Asian and African countries; less than one-third of the population lives in urban areas. However, the rate of urbanization has accelerated significantly. The general rule in developing countries is that urban areas grow at twice the rate of the overall population. The growth of major cities is a prominent feature of population redistribution, particularly in developing countries. Cities are home to nearly half of the world's population. By 2030, the world's population is expected to be around eight billion people, with 80 percent of them living in developing countries.

FAQs

MCQs

1. Which of the following sectors is predominantly associated with rural areas?

A) IT Services
B) Agriculture
C) Manufacturing
D) Trade and Commerce

2. What percentage of India's population lived in urban areas as per the 2011 Census?

A) 50%
B) 68.84%
C) 31.16%
D) 45%

3. Which of the following is a challenge commonly associated with rapid urbanization?

A) Increase in agricultural productivity
B) Overcrowding and slums
C) Rural unemployment
D) Lack of natural resources

4. The movement of people from rural areas to urban areas is called?

A) Urban sprawl
B) Urbanization
C) Rural depopulation
D) Rural-to-urban migration

5. Which of the following government programs focuses on improving urban infrastructure in India?

A) MNREGA
B) AMRUT
C) Green Revolution
D) PM-KISAN

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Discuss the socio-economic impact of rural-to-urban migration in India.

Answer: Rural-to-urban migration has significant socio-economic impacts on both rural and urban areas. In urban regions, migration leads to an increase in labor supply, especially in the informal sector, contributing to economic growth. However, it also results in challenges like overcrowding, slums, and pressure on infrastructure and services. In rural areas, migration leads to a decline in agricultural labor and depopulation, which affects productivity. On the other hand, remittances sent by migrants help improve living standards in rural households.

Q2: Examine the role of government schemes in addressing the challenges of urbanization in India.

Answer: Government schemes like AMRUT, Smart Cities Mission, and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) aim to address the challenges of urbanization by improving urban infrastructure, promoting sustainable development, and providing affordable housing. The Smart Cities Mission focuses on creating smart urban spaces with technology-driven solutions for transport, water management, and waste disposal. AMRUT aims to improve basic urban infrastructure, including water supply, sewage management, and urban transportation.

Q3: Analyze the changing rural-urban composition in India and its implications for future development.

Answer: The changing rural-urban composition in India is characterized by a gradual shift of the population from rural areas to urban centers. This trend of urbanization is driven by better job opportunities, education, and infrastructure in cities. The implications for future development include the need for urban planning, improved infrastructure, and sustainable development strategies to manage urban growth. At the same time, rural development schemes like the Rurban Mission must focus on creating employment opportunities and improving infrastructure in rural areas to prevent excessive migration to cities.

Previous Year Questions on Rural and Urban Composition

1. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 1)

Question: Discuss the causes and consequences of urbanization in India.

Answer: Urbanization in India is driven by factors such as rural-to-urban migration, industrialization, and the expansion of the service sector. It results in economic opportunities and improved access to healthcare and education in cities. However, urbanization also leads to issues such as overcrowding, the development of slums, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation. The challenge for India is to manage urban growth through proper urban planning, infrastructure development, and ensuring sustainable cities.

2. UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

Question: Which of the following programs is aimed at rural and urban development in India?

A) Smart Cities Mission
B) Rurban Mission
C) MNREGA
D) PM-KISAN

Answer: B

Explanation: The Rurban Mission aims to bridge the gap between rural and urban areas by providing urban-level amenities in rural clusters to curb migration and promote balanced development.