Why in the News?
The Registrar General of India (RGI) has announced that the same definition of “urban area” used in Census 2011 will be retained in Census 2027 to ensure comparability of data and analysis of urbanisation trends.
Background and Urbanisation Trends:
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Definition of Urban Area:
- Statutory Towns: Include municipal corporations, nagar palikas, town panchayats, cantonment boards, and notified town area committees.
- Census Town Criteria:
- Minimum population of 5000;
- Population Density ≥ 400 persons per sq. km;
- Workforce: ≥ 75% of male workers in non-agricultural activities.
- District HQs: Headquarters not legally notified as towns will be Census Towns only if they meet criteria.
- Exclusions: Plantations and orchards outside statutory towns will not be treated as “forests” under this definition.
Special Features of Census 2027:
- Caste Data: For the first time, caste enumeration included (approved April 2024).
- Worker Classification: Male agricultural workers (cultivators, labourers, livestock, forestry, fishing, hunting, plantations) excluded when calculating non-agricultural engagement.
- Error Correction: Grouping multiple villages into one Census Town discontinued; identification now at village level.
Preparatory Work and Timelines:
- Jurisdiction Updates: All changes in villages/towns/wards updated till 31 December 2025.
- Boundary Freeze: Administrative boundaries fixed on 1 January 2026.
- Village Review: Villages with 4,000+ population in 2011 re-examined to meet 5,000 threshold by 2027.
- Phases:
- Houselisting & Housing Census (HLO) – April 2026.
- Population Enumeration (PE) – February 2027.
| [UPSC 2002] Consider the following statements about the megacities of India:
I. Population of each megacity is more than 5 million. II. All the megacities are important sea ports. III. Megacities are either national or State capitals. Which of these statements are correct? (a) I, II and III (b) I and II (c) II and III (d) I and III * |
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