The ‘Rurban’ Society in India: new facets of Urbanism and its Challenges

Abstract

The paper challenges the traditional concept of evolution of urban areas wherein, the process of urbanization witnesses economic transformation along with associated socio-cultural changes. India in the last decade has witnessed a huge increase in growth of such non-farm based economy driven urban areas where, the socio-cultural aspects are still rural. These urban areas, evolving from large villages, are defined as ‘census towns’ by the Census of India, and are widely referred to as ‘rurban’ areas in the domain of research. The new aspects of urbanism that these rurban areas portray, completely washes away the stereotyped perception about an urban society in India. The rurban society not only brings in new faces to urbanism, but upheld the challenges towards their acknowledgement and inclusion in the existing urban society. Through case illustration of few census towns, the paper attempts to apathetically understand the difference rurban society makes to themselves and to urban societies, when they grow only economically sans basic necessities and socio- cultural amenities. The paper concludes to stir a thought among the readers, and expand scope for further research on, nurturing and developing the rurban society in India with necessary policy attentions. Keywords: