Urgent for project. What is ment by civic amenities and what is its significance
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3.7.1 The level of urbanisation was around 11 to 12 per cent during the first three decades of this century, increasing noticeably in the decade of independence and rising continuously thereafter from 17.3 per cent in 1951 to 25.7 per cent in 1991. The projected scenario indicates a rising trend. The Planning Commission's Technical Group on Urban Perspectives and Policies has projected the urban population at 31.0 per cent of the total population in 1996-97 and 38.0 per cent in 2006-07. During the last four and half decades, some 5-6 million people have been added to urban India every year. The country has one of the largest urban systems with 217.6 million people in 1991, which is projected to increase to 289 million in 2001 and around 605-618 million during 2021-2025. There will be about 40 metro cities in the country in 2001 as against 23 in 1991.
3.7.2 The slow-down in urbanisation during 1981-91 as compared to 1971-81 (36.4 per cent growth as against 46.1 per cent) and the growing concentration of urban population in larger towns are other urban concerns, towards which the Ninth Plan strategies will be directed. The tasks are challenging, for it is mainly in the mega and metro cities that land is a major constraint for undertaking development work. A large part of civic amenities, particularly water supply, sanitation and sewerage, are managed with assets that have outlived their operational efficiency. The required massive upgradation and renovation of these assets, is constrained by high population density and concentrated commercial activities at the locations where these service assets are installed. The lack of comprehensive urban planning in the past to promote regular upgradation and renewal has resulted in a large backlog of development activities.
3.7.3 The key urban concern is the growing gap between demand and supply of basic services. While there has been a steady growth in the housing stock, infrastructure and services, the gaps between demand and supply have been rising, even in terms of conservative norms. It is now well-recognised that these gaps are unlikely to be bridged over the next 5 to 10 years. Many goals of housing, potable water and sanitation that were to be attained by 2001 AD, may require the target point fixed 10-15 years ago to be extended.
3.7.4 In the midst of growing urbanisation, India, nevertheless, continues to live in her villages. As many as 629 million people live in some 580,706 villages, which works out to an average of 1,083 per village. Rural population density is low at an average of 214 persons per sq.km, which brings out the rural development challenges in terms of provision of human settlements-related services of potable water, sanitation, and access to livelihood programmes. Increased per capita cost of the services, Operation and Maintenance( O and M) logistics and recovery of investment are priority concerns.
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