Urbanization in Kerala—What Does the Census Data Reveal?

Abstract

Kerala’s recent urban growth rate has thrown open a challenge before the state government to cater the needs of the urban population and design programmes to provide basic facilities for a good standard of living. The authors here examine the growth trends in Kerala’s urban population, the tempo and degree of concentration and capture the changes in development indicators based on data available from the Census of India. The recent upsurge of 92.8 per cent urban growth rate in Kerala is due to the areal reclassification. The higher order towns (Classes I and II) in Kerala show a decline in growth of population, whereas the lower order towns (Class III towns) are growing. The urban density decreased and work participation rate increased slightly during 2001–2011. This phase of urbanization is characterized by the growth of a more dispersed population than concentrated urban centres. The steady increase in the rate of urbanization in Kerala, however, is accompanied by low pace of development, especially of basic amenities, which is a matter of concern that needs policy attention.