Country Profile
India is a major nation ranking seventh in the world in terms of land area at approximately 3,287,000 km² and second in population, after China, at 1.2 billion (November 2009).
India’s origins date back to the prehistoric times, when it is best represented by the Indus civilization of about the second century B.C. The region, which was home to a series of empires and sultanates, including the Magadha Kingdom (Mauryan Empire, Gupta Empire) and the Mughal Empire, and endured nearly 100 years of British colonial rule, was partitioned and gained independence in 1947 as India, East Pakistan and West Pakistan.
Although the country promoted import-substituting industrialization after its independence under a mixed economic system, with emphasis on heavy industries, making the transition from a developing country proved extremely difficult. It converted to the free economy in 1991 in the wake of the foreign currency crisis and pressed forward with economic reform measures, the key components of which were the relaxation of regulations on industrial licenses, active utilization of foreign capital, reform of trading systems, depreciation of exchange rates, and transition to the floating exchange rate policy. As a result, India achieved an economic growth rate of more than 7% for three consecutive years from FY1994 through FY1996, building the foundation for its rapid economic growth in subsequent years.
State-level Administrative Divisions of India
Source: http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/india_map.html
| Country name | Republic of India |
|---|---|
| Surface area | Approximately 3,287,000 km² (about 9 times that of Japan) |
| Population | 1,210.00 million (National census 2011 (Provisional value)) |
| Population density | 345/km²(2007) |
| Percentage of urban population | 30.0% |
| GDP (nominal) | USD 1,287.3 billion (FY2008, Indian government data) |
| GDP per capita | USD 1,265(2010; IMF) |
| Percentage of employment by industry | Primary industry: 52% Secondary industry: 14% Tertiary industry: 34%(2003) |
| GDP growth rate | 8.5%(FY2010; Indian government data) |
Figure:Administrative Hierarchy According to Indian Constitution
Source: Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (2007) "Local Government in India"
Local Governments
The Indian Constitution provides for three administrative levels; specifically the Union Government, the state governments, and the local governments. Further, different systems are employed for the urban areas and the agricultural areas, with the system for the latter comprising three internal administrative levels.
The country currently has 28 states and seven union territories. The state organizations and institutions are divided by districts and blocks (counties ad the like).
The Union Government has jurisdiction over national matters such as national defense, diplomacy, communications, currency, tariffs, and essential infrastructure (railways, national highways, electricity, main ports, etc.).
Included in the jurisdiction of the states are the maintenance of legal order (public safety, police), public sanitation (water supply, sewer systems), health, education, legislative authority regarding agriculture, forestry, and fishery, transportation infrastructure development (state highways, ports other than main ports), and the development of agricultural, forestry, and fishery infrastructures (irrigation, fishing ports).
The Union Government and the state governments have co-jurisdiction over legislative powers concerning economic and social plans, social security, trade, industry, electricity enterprises, and the like.
Major Authorities Relating to Spatial Policy
| Policy Area | Authority | Web Site |
|---|---|---|
| Socio-economic Plans | Planning Commission, Government of India | http://planningcommission.nic.in/ |
| Capital Region Plan | National Capital Region Planning Board | http://www.ncrpb.nic.in/ |
| Delhi Master Plan | Delhi Development Authority | http://www.dda.org.in/home.htm |
| State Plans | E.g., Karnataka State Planning Board | http://www.karunadu.gov.in/spb/ Pages/home.aspx |
Overview of Five-Year Planning System
- National level plans include the Five Year Plan stipulated in the Constitution. The Plan is to set forth national strategic goals and projects for a broad range of areas including the economy, financial administration, finance and banking, employment, education, social security, environment, industry, agriculture, transportation, urban development, and energy.
- India is currently promoting the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007 - 2012) under the theme “inclusive growth.” The goals are to achieve 9% growth in GDP and improve the quality of life of the people (especially the poor).
- Emphasis is placed on mutually related elements such as: i) rapid growth and reduction of poverty, ii) issue of employment, iii) the right to essential services, iv) social justice and rights, v) environmental protection, vi) gender equality, and vii) governance.
- The Planning Commission of the Government of India (chaired by the Prime Minister) prepares the plan by coordinating and consolidating the plans proposed by the central agencies and ministries, as well as the state governments.
- A working group comprising representatives from the agencies and ministries concerned, academic experts, and representatives from state governments is established for each sector to ensure collaboration between the Union Government and the state governments in all sectors.
- The Planning Commission monitors the achievement status for the previous fiscal year to clarify the issues that need to be addressed in order to accomplish the planned goals and develop an annual plan based thereon. The allocation of budgets to the Union Government and the state governments is dependent on this annual plan.
Figure:Major National and Regional Planning Systems (Socio-economic Development Plans, Spatial Plans)
National, State and Local-Level Spatial Planning Systems
Table:Major Spatial and Regional Improvement Plans
| Plan | Planning Body |
|---|---|
| India 2020 (Future Vision) | Former Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
| State development visions, etc., eg Karnataka State Development Vision |
Karnataka State Planning Board (under the pursvue of State Department of Planning & Statistics) |
| Eleventh Five Year Plan | Planning Commission, Government of India |
| State five year plans | State planning boards |
| Regional Plan 2021 | National Capital Region Planning department |
| Delhi Master Plan 2021 | Delhi Development Authority (DDA) |
Urban planning and development administration are undertaken on three levels consisting of the Union Government, state governments, and local governments.
On the Union Government level, the Planning Commission of the Government of India and the Housing and Urban Development Department of the Ministry of Urban Development bear central roles in terms of urban planning, development, and technical guidance.
On the state government level, urban planning and development administration are executed pursuant to the State Town Planning Act and the relevant legal system of each state. At the present time, there is an Urban Planning Department in every state and most union territories.
On the local level, the Planning and Development Department is the body responsible for devising various plans in large cities, as well as for issuing development permits and implementing development among other things. The Department is established pursuant to the State Town Planning Act or individual planning and development department act.
Overview of Capital Region Planning System
Figure:Capital Region Planning Map (Land Use)
Source: National Capital Region Planning Board (2005) "Regional Plan 2021"
Under National Capital Region Planning Board Act enacted in 1985, the NCR (National Capital Region) Planning Board was established with the consent and participation of the states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh (national authority under the Ministry of Urban Development).
In addition to formulating the Regional Plan 2021 in 2005, the National Capital Region Planning Board formulated the Transport Plan 2032 in 2010 to supplement the Regional Plan 2021.
The objective and the goal of the Regional Plan 2021 are to take advantage of the effect of the economic development of Delhi to promote regional growth and balanced intra-regional development through the creation of efficient networks (upgrading of infrastructure, development of a rational land utilization pattern, improvement of environment, and realization of quality of life) within five city centers and one district center.
Delhi Master Plan 2021 has been devised for Delhi capital territories by the Delhi Development Agency (DDA; national authority) in linkage with the Regional Plan 2021. The Master Plan is prepared by DDA as an agent of the Union Government pursuant to the Delhi Development Act (1957).
The goals of the Delhi Master Plan 2021 are to i) make Delhi a world class city, ii) conserve the environment and preserve historical legacies, iii) plan and develop from a regional (broad) perspective, iv) achieve a high standard of living and quality of life that are sustainable, v) take an inclusive approach from the viewpoint of the poor, and vi) establish a humane city.
