India’s a Land of Cities, Not Villages
And unless politicians start acting that way, its burgeoning metropolises could grow well-nigh unlivable.
India’s already much more urbanized than many realize.
Photographer: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images
It’s an election year in India, with the world’s largest polls expected in the spring. The focus of politicians is, as usual, on farmers and rural areas and competitive pandering to both — hardly surprising in a country that considers itself a nation of villages.
However, this narrative has one major flaw. India is, in fact, more urban than politicians know or acknowledge. This seriously affects India’s growth prospects, leading to inefficiencies and loss of productivity in both rural and urban areas. What’s worse, the resulting misallocation of resources is making India’s blossoming urban areas well-nigh unlivable.