Nearly 50% of Indian population lives in the cities, for they are hub of opportunities and significant in country's development trajectory. Yet, the urban landscape remains a blank spot in our political discourse. https://thewire.in/politics/the-urban-question-whats-on-offer-for-indian-cities-in-party-manifestos
Through an analysis of election manifestos, this article locates the urban within the slew of promises, understanding how India’s cities feature in them.
While the popular assumption that – Bharat Ek Krishi Pradhan Desh Hai (India is an agrarian country/economy) – persists, the reality now is far from the truth. The urban now would almost house 50% of the population and play a preeminent role in the country’s development trajectory. It is where the jobs are, where youth and the workers flock to, and what drives capital. Yet it is also where the deepest inequalities exist, with a lack of access to basic amenities and infrastructures. Our cities routinely stand at the top of the charts for being the most polluted, climate-disaster-prone, and unliveable in the world. It is responses, if not solutions, to these challenges that we seek to find in the manifestos and that tell us of our urban policy drift.
by Vikram Mukka
24/04/2024