Apart from China, India is another economic giant that is taking the world by storm. Statistics show that India’s economic growth has sustained an averaged of 8.5% for the past 4 years (OCED). It has a growing well educated population and the country has found its niche in the information technology industry. Much of India’s economic growth has to do with the liberalisation of India’s economy. This liberalisation has brought a flock of foreign investors that have arrived on India’s doorstep to jump onto the bandwagon of one of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
While the material condition of life has improved, the human condition has deteriorated. Despite the growth of the economy, such growth does not seem to be inclusive making such economic growth essentially meaningless. The OCED reports that: “Still, many economists remain concerned that much of the growth is concentrated in areas like telecommunications, information technology and other services sectors — and that many Indians, especially in rural areas, have benefited little from the boom. (OCED, 1) Thus, India’s economic growth is one that clearly does not spiral and benefit the population per se. To have a greater understanding of the social problems of urbanism in cities, we can take a closer look at India’s capital, New Delhi.
A video on the “Urban growth in New Delhi” illustrates how beneath the glitter of such urban growth, there is a shocking reality when one takes a closer look at urban cities like New Delhi in India. With uncontrollable urbanism, the number of urban poor seems to be increasing while the number of rural poor is in fact decreasing. “In the past 20 years, the number of urban poor increased by an enormous 25 million. In fact, the city of New Delhi has 40% of urban population below poverty line.” (Spotlight) That means that they live with an income of below a dollar a day. That is to say beyond the industrial investment, not only is there still poverty but there is rising rate of people living in poverty in the cities. This makes the disparity between the rich and the poor more apparent in New Delhi and creates a sense of depression for the poor. Also, a large number of the urban poor live in unauthorised settlements like slums that have unhygienic conditions.
These unauthorised settlements lack proper amenities. “There is no proper water supply, the groundwater that these urban poor people tap into is depleting and there is a lack of proper sanitation. Such settlements have no proper electricity supply or sewage.” (Spotlight) And the urban poor who live in such deprived conditions often have to turn to informal occupations such as rag picking and the selling of gas mask. “There are a 100,000 vehicles added to the road each year making New Delhi the fourth most polluted city in the world.” (Spotlight) The pollution has paradoxically created jobs for the urban poor allowing them to sell gas mask. The city roads are also heavily congested.
New Delhi fulfils only half of the city’s demands of electricity and with this demand increasing, how can Delhi continue to support the needed amount of electricity? The growth in New Delhi is clearly not sustainable and almost half of its population lack even the basic necessities.
There are so many questions. Is New Delhi or even India’s economic growth sustainable? The future of the city seems somewhat uncertain. What does the future hold for a city like New Delhi whose urban poor is on the rise? This true reality reflects the sufferings of many despite the claims of India being one of the rising economic giants. The urban city system seems to be under pressure in such a developing country.
Works Cited
International Herald Tribune. “OECD says India’s current economic growth sustainable” 9 October 2007. 11 October 2008 <http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/09/business/AS-FIN-ECO-India-Economy.php>
Spotfilms. “Megacity Slums” 26 September 2008. 11 October 2008.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoo4YKqwFbM>
