The document compares rural and urban areas in India, highlighting key differences in definitions, social issues, crime rates, cultural challenges, political affiliations, and environmental concerns. It discusses how urbanization has exacerbated the gap between these two settings, leading to distinct problems such as poor literacy in rural areas and urban crime linked to wealth disparities. Additionally, it emphasizes the unique cultural and political dynamics that shape life in both environments.

1. RURAL AND URBAN ISSUES – COMPARISON AND DIFFERENCES
SUBMITTED BY:
ANUSHA FATIMA
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE
MAULANA AZAD NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BHOPAL
VS
A RURAL VILLAGE A METROPOLITAN CITY- URBAN
RURAL AND URBAN AREAS- AN INTRODUCTION
The urban area of the country was defined in 2001 census as follow:
 all places with a Municipality, Corporation or Cantonment and places notified as town
area
 a minimum population of 5000,
 at least 75 percent of the male working population are non-agriculturists, and
 a density of population of at least 1000 per sq. mile (390 per sq. km.).
However, there can be major variations in the ways in which different nations define what
is an urban centre. The criteria used include population size and density, and availability of
services such as secondary schools, hospitals and banks. However, the combination of
criteria applied can vary greatly. Even the population thresholds used can be different: for
many African nations it is 5,000 inhabitants, while for most Latin American and European
nations it can be as low as 2,000 or 2,500 or even just a few hundred inhabitants.
The census of India defines a rural area as an area
 With a population density of up to 400 per square kilometer.
 it does not have a municipal board.
 Also these areas should have a minimum of 75% of male working population involved
in agriculture and allied activities.
The rural sector covers areas other than the urban areas. The rural areas are composed of
whole villages as well as part villages. A village includes allits hamlets.

2. ISSUES IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS:
India is one of the oldest, continuous and uninterrupted civilization in the whole world.
As a result of rapid urbanization of the 20th century, the gap between urban and rural social
settlements have grown considerably giving rise to several social, economical, political and
cultural issues.The difference between urban centres and rural areas may seemso obvious that
definitions should not be an issue.
Justas many of the rural problemsare the resultof isolationandscatteredliving,manyurbanproblems
springfromconcentrationof population.
SOCIAL ISSUES IN URBAN AND RURAL AREAS – AN INSIGHT
SOCIAL ISSUES IN RURAL AREAS SOCIAL ISSUES IN URBAN AREAS
 LACK OF FAMILY PLANNING- LACK OF FAMILY TIES
In rural areas, people follow the concept In urban areas, most of the family are
of more children, more employment, nuclear so there is lack of family ties.
more income. This is thus increasing family bonding is not so strong and there
the population to a surplus with limited are sharper cohenses amongst the family
resources available .thus proper family members as compared to Rural areas.
planning in rural areas need to be
incorporated for a sustainable
development of the country
 CHILD MARRIAGE HIGHER CASES OF DIVORCE
In rural areas, girls and even boys In urban areas, due to lack of bonding,
are married from a tender age of 8. mutual understanding , higher no. of
This practice needs to be curbed for divorce cases are filed .
a healthy growth of the nation.
 POOR LITERACY RATES HIGH LITERACY RATE BUT EXPENSIVE
Rural children are deprived of EDUCATION.
education due to lack of educational In urban areas, though the literacy rates
facilities, lack of sense of education. are high but still the cost of education is
The government has taken several steps too high. Many middle class urban family
RURAL URBANISSUES TYPES
SOCIAL CULTURAL POLITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES

3. for improving the literacy rates of find it difficult to afford.
rural areas by launching mid- day meal
scheme, providing free meal, school
dress, Bicycle to attract the rural children .
 SOCIAL POLICING
In rural areas, the society is deciding . In urban areas, though there is a
The sarpanch, panchayats are the key’ judiciary which looks into the matter but
decision makers in rural areas. still sometimes the decision is in the
favour of the wealthy, powerful class.
Hence, even in urban areas, there is bias
decision making.
SECURITY AND SAFETY ISSUES
RURAL AREAS URBAN AREAS
RURAL CRIMES URBAN CRIMES
 Disputes over land, cohesion in terms Prevention of urban crime is another
of turmoils, gang rape, harassment of challenge before the government in
women, harassment linked to dowry, states having more number of
suicides of girls and murder of women urban areas and
during theft attempts are very common particularly metropolitan cities.
in rural villages . Of the 4614 cases The mega cities are facing
reported during this period for increased criminal activities on
harassment of women, rural areas account of unchecked migration,
accounted for a whopping 3185 and the illegal settelments and dievrse
city limits, 1429. socio- cultural disparities, gangsters,
 property disputes and family feuds professional criminals for wishing a
dominates the crime profile in rural areas. lavish life in metropolis.
The cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru
have accounted for 16.2 percent, 9.5
percent and 8.1 percent respectively of
he total crime reported from 35 mega
cities. Prevention of crime in mega cities is a
challenge before the city government in
India.
CULTURAL ISSUES IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS
CULTURAL ISSUES IN RURAL AREAS CULTURAL ISSUES IN URBAN AREAS
 HIGH RATES OF FEMALE FOETICIDES LOSS OF INDIAN CULTURE AND IDENTITY
In rural areas, people prefer boys over With the rapid increase in urbanization and

4. girls and so sex – selective abortion modernization , somewhere urban areas are
is a common practice in these areas . losing their cultural identity.
This leads to an imbalance in sex ratio. Due to loss of values and traditions,
younger urban generations are diverging
from values giving rise to formation of many
old-age homes .
 DOWRY SYSTEM
Dowry is an important feature of
marriages in rural areas. Girl families
who fail to give dowry are tortured
and harassed by the groom’s family .
even the rules and regulations are
not so strict to curb this malpractise.
POLITICAL ISSUES
 POLITICAL AFFLIATION
Political affliation is weak and biased Though the political affliation is strong and
in rural areas. There is no independent pre- defined in urban areas yet the presence
decision making authority like the many parties lead to interference in the
Supreme court in rural areas. working of the urban society as a whole.
Even the decisions taken are in the
favour of the rich and influential
people. Also, there is lack of
competition amongst the political
parties due to one party ( PANCHAYAT)
ruling the entire village.
 LACK OF DIVERGENT POLITICAL GROUP
There is lack of
competition amongst the political
parties due to one party ( SARPANCH)
ruling the entire village.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES - RURAL AREAS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE – URBAN AREAS
 Rural areas experience a number of Population beyond the multiple times of the
environmental problems like pollutions sustaining capacity has made the urban
of air, water and land, land degradation centres polluted, overcrowded,and exerted
and urbanization. pressure on social and physical amenities.
 Air Pollution in villages is caused due to concentration of industries in and
burning of agricultural wastes and around urban centres has exposed the
straw, burning of fire wood and dung urban population to all sorts of risks.

5. cakes and decomposition of crop wastes sewage discharges, Radioactive waste ,
and animal wastes. Considerable discharged from the industries are
amount of methane produced due to responsible for environment
deterioration.
bio-degradation of crop residues and
animal wastes contribute heavily in the
rural air pollution.
 Rural ladies suffer Large scale concretization in urban
from many respiratory and eye diseases areas are destroying the natural
as they cook food by burning wood. Bio- diversity of the nature.
Rural houses are often built unscientifically.
due to this the extent of indoor air large scale urbanization has led to
pollution is greater in these areas. large scale developments with high-
 Open defecation in rural India is a human rise buildings, increasing consumption
development emergency that is causing of natural resources , increasing vehicle
infant deaths, child stunting, and emissions, increased use of A.C’s
widespread infectious diseases. And refrigerators has given rise to
 The practice of Jhoom- cultivation damages global warming cases.
forests and other vegetations on one
hand and enhances the CO2load o
the atmosphere on the other hand.
 The increasing concentration of CO2 in
the atmosphere contributes to the Global
Warming.
 Principal water pollutants in the rural
areas are animal wastes and
agrochemicals like synthetic fertilizers,
pesticides, hormones etc.
These chemicals reach to the water
bodies of the rural areas through
surface run off where they cause
Eutrophication.