Urbanization and Slums in Jharkhand

 Introduction:- 

Urbanisation in Jharkhand started way back in the 17th Century. Many chiefs who had their own capital of the state ruled the whole region and these centres were distinct from the rural landscape. Because of its rugged topography and dense forest the state got its name Jharkhand.

During the period of King Ashoka (273 B.C.E to 232 B.C.E), this area was called ‘Atavi’ which means forest state. In the time of Mughal’s (1526 C.E to 1857 C.E),it was known as ‘Kokrah’. With the onset of the British regime (1857 C.E to 1947 C.E) the construction of the railways and road networks had resulted in the emergence of the new urban centres. The British also stimulated the growth of the pre-existing administrative centres. The urban centres that grew during the British period
 

In case of Jharkhand the magnitude of urban growth in the last century particularly after 1950's has fostered considerable interest in the process and forms of growth. Not only
the urban population recorded a continuous increase in this period but marked redistribution of urban centres has also occurred due to industrialisation and emergence of new
administrative and commercial centres in the different parts of the state.

This is the reason why urban population of the study area has increased by more than seven times during the last five decades. Despite this, at present Jharkhand is one of the least urbanised states of the country with 23.78 percent of population living in urban centres. However this figure is less than that of many states, as well as for India i.e. 27.73 percent.

Differences in the level of urbanisation and urban growth are also seen in various districts and territories of Jharkhand. The geographical factors and different levels of economic development have influenced urbanisation in Jharkhand.

Population Growth and the Process of Urbanisation: -

• The state of Jharkhand ranks fifteenth in terms of the total area of the country. It comprised a total population of over 26.90 million in 2001 Census and was the residence of 2.62 percent of the total population of India.
• The total population of the state increased from 8.93 million to 26.90 million during 1951-2001. So it had more than tripled in 50 years. If we compare the population. growth of Jharkhand with that of India then it can be observed that except 19 51-61 and 1971-1981 in all other decades the total population growth of Jharkhand has been mostly higher than India's average. However, there are considerable differences between the urban population growth of Jharkhand with that of India's average urban growth.
• During the early British period, in Jharkhand, certain factors of secondary importance had also encouraged urbanisation. The British also stimulated the growth of the pre-existing
  administrative centres. The urban centres that evolved during this period can be classified as :-

1. Regimental centres
2. Christian Missionary centres
3. Tea plantations; such as Chatara, Ramgarh and Doranda (Ranchi) that were also regimental centres. Ranchi and Hazaribagh were developed as centres of Christianity in Jharkhand.

• Lohardaga and Ranchi had the largest population at that time. Manbhum, Purulia, Raghunathpur, Daltonganj, Garhwa, Chaibasa, Jhalda were the other towns in 1911 . Two new towns were included in 1921 and· they were Dhanbad and Chakradharpur. Jugsalai was recognised as a town in 1931. It evolved as an urban sprawl of Jamshedpur, which was established in 1907.
• The decade of 1931-41 was significant as eight new towns had grown up. Several new mining towns also emerged during this period. They were Jharia, Bermo, Kargali, Bokaro, Musabani, Noamundi and Manoharpur.Most of the new towns were located in Dhanbad, Hazaribagh and in Paschimi Singhbhum district. During this period Jamshedpur became the first class- I town of Jharkhand.

District Level Urban Population Growth:-

Urban population growth in the various districts of Jharkhand exhibit unequal concentration of population in different regions. Those regions, which are geographically favorable, industrially and commercially developed, have been attracting migrants from the countryside in search of employment which further accelerated the process of urbanisation.

Urban growth rates had slightly increased during the last ( 1991-0 I) decade but it was only 32.32 percent in Jharkhand. Again lower growth was discernable in the most of the
highly urbanised and industrialised districts. For example the districts of Purbi Singhbhum (16.46 percent), Dhanbad (27.07 percent), and Hazaribagh (28.25 percent) had lowest urban growth in 2001. On the other hand urban growth was higher in the least urbanised districts like Godda (54.68 percent), Lohardaga (45.58 percent), Palamu (36.23 percent) and Paschimi Singhbhum (71.1 0 percent). It seems that the towns of the districts were highly urbanised getting saturated and in the absence of further growth of industries, commerce and other economic activities they are attracting less migrants.

The rapid expansion of transportation facilities has also made it more convenient for people to move towards other places of the state and country. So it can be said that urban population of Jharkhand increased rapidly during 1951-1971 and to some extent to 1971-1981 due to the establishment and growth of several industrial complexes, like Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Sindri, Gomia, Patratu and others. But in the late eighties and particularly in nineties there had been no further investments for industrial development. In the absence of additional industrial employment generation, opportunity of rural to urban migration had considerably slowed down and this has affected urban growth in recent years.

Growth of Slum Population at District Level :- 

he urban centres in Jharkhand like Ranchi, Bokaro, and Jamshedpur have become the attracting points for the employment seekers. However,the planned urbanisation has been marred to an extent by the excessive demand for basic amenities resulting in deterioration of the physical environment.

Slums have become an integral part of the phenomenon of urbanisation, which are the result of failure of overall socio-economic policies and programmes of the states and the country. The quality of life has thus suffered due to continuous influx of migrants and increasing gap between demand and supply of essential services and other infrastructures in the urban areas. 

The total slum population in Jharkhand grew at the rate of 23%, which is low in respect of the urban population growth of 32% in 2011. In Jharkhand, there is a decrease in the average household size in the slum areas because of increase in the household and the decrease of slum population.

The average household size of the slums in Jharkhand in 2001 was 5.5,while it declined to 5.1 in 2011.In the 2001 Census ;only 11 urban centres of 22 districts had registered slum population,while in 2011 there are 31 urban centres of 24 districts where slums are found.

The population living in theslum areas of Jharkhand in 2001 was 5% of the urban population of Jharkhand; in 2011,it had decreased to 4.7% of the total urban population of Jharkhand. Despite the increase in the number of slums-reporting urban centres from 2001 to 2011, there is decrease in the slum population,which is a good sign of development of urban basic services.

here is direct relationship between the rate of urbanisation and the growth of slum population. In the state, the high slum population growth rate is found in the districts where high rate of urbanisation persists like in Deoghar, Chatra, Giridih, and Lohardaga. Total number of slum population had increased in 2011,but its share in total urban population had decreased because urban population growth rate is higher than the slum population growth rate in the state. In the state, with the increase in the number of urban centres, there is increase in slum reporting urban centres
 

By: Shashank Shekhar