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  • Q. What are the challenges to urbanization in North-East India? Do you think the idea of satellite township can address these challenges? Justify your answer.

    • 14,Sep 2024
    • Posted By : SPM IAS Academy
    • 0 Comments
    • APSC2023
    • GS1

    Urbanization in North-East India faces unique challenges due to the region’s distinct geographical, socio-cultural, and economic characteristics. While the concept of satellite townships such as Jagiroad Township Project has been proposed as a solution, its effectiveness in addressing these challenges requires careful consideration.

    Challenges to Urbanization in North-East India

    1. Geographical Constraints:

    • The North-East region is characterized by hilly terrain, dense forests, and high seismic activity; surrounded by Eastern Himalayas. These geographical features complicate the construction of infrastructure and limit the availability of flat land suitable for urban expansion.
    • Additionally, the region’s proximity to international borders with China, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Bhutan adds a layer of strategic complexity, necessitating careful urban planning.

    2. Inadequate Infrastructure:

    • Urban centers in the North-East suffer from poor infrastructure, including inadequate transportation networks, insufficient water supply, and unreliable electricity.
    • The region’s road density is among the lowest in India, and many areas are still inaccessible due to poor connectivity. For instance, road density in Arunachal Pradesh is only 25 km per 100 km square, compared to the national average of 142 km per 100 km square.

    3. Socio-Cultural Factors:

    • The North-East is home to a diverse population with multiple ethnic groups, each with its own distinct culture and traditions. Urbanization efforts must be sensitive to these socio-cultural dynamics to prevent conflict and ensure social cohesion.
    • Resistance to land acquisition for urban projects, due to cultural attachment to land and traditional practices, poses a significant challenge.

    4. Economic Constraints:

    • The region’s economy is largely agrarian, with limited industrialization. The lack of economic opportunities in urban areas leads to a lower rate of rural-to-urban migration compared to other parts of India.
    • The region’s dependence on central government funds, coupled with limited revenue generation, restricts the financial resources available for urban development.

    5. Environmental Concerns:

    • North-East India belongs to the Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot. Unplanned urban growth could lead to environmental degradation, including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and co-extinction.

    Potential of Satellite Townships to Address Challenges

    1. Alleviation of Pressure on Existing Urban Centers:

    ○ Satellite townships can help reduce the burden on existing urban centers by decentralizing population and economic activities. This can lead to more balanced regional development and prevent overcrowding in cities like Guwahati and Imphal through township development in Amingaon and Greater Imphal,
    respectively.

    2. Planned and Sustainable Development:

    ○ Satellite townships offer an opportunity for planned urban development, which can incorporate modern infrastructure, efficient public services, and environmental safeguards from the outset. This is particularly important in the ecologically sensitive North-East region.

    3. Economic Diversification:

    ○ Industrial Development Hubs such as in Jagiroad with specific economic zones can help diversify the region’s economy, attracting industries and services that are currently underrepresented. This could create employment opportunities and stimulate local economies, reducing reliance on agriculture.

    4. Enhanced Connectivity:

    ○ Developing satellite townships with improved connectivity to major urban centers can enhance access to services and markets. This can be achieved through investments in Mass Rapid Transportation Systems and other transportation infrastructure.

    ○ The townships can also be designed as logistics hubs, leveraging the region’s strategic location for trade with neighboring countries to actualize goals of Act East Policy.

    5. Preservation of Cultural Identity:

    ○ Satellite townships can be designed to respect and preserve the cultural heritage of the local population. This could involve incorporating traditional architectural styles, promoting local arts and crafts, and ensuring that development projects involve community participation.

    ○ By decentralizing urban growth, satellite townships can reduce the likelihood of cultural erosion and social tension in existing urban centers.

    Ten cities development concept

    The idea of satellite townships holds significant potential to address the challenges of urbanization in North-East India, particularly by promoting planned, sustainable, and culturally sensitive urban development. However, the success of such initiatives will depend on careful planning, substantial investment in infrastructure, and the active involvement of local communities. With these considerations, satellite townships could indeed be a viable solution to the region’s urbanization challenges.

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