Context:
The Census 2027 is envisaged as the world’s largest administrative exercise, aiming to harness digital platforms, mobile applications, geo-tagging, and real-time monitoring to improve data accuracy. The editorial highlights the need to better capture India’s rapidly evolving urban and peri-urban realities, which remain underrepresented in conventional census classifications.
Key Highlights:
Technological Transformation of Census 2027
- Use of mobile apps, geo-tagging, and real-time digital dashboards
- Enables precise spatial mapping and reduces enumeration errors
- Supports evidence-based urban policy formulation
Urban Definition and Continuity
- Census 2027 proposes to retain the 2011 Census definition of ‘urban’
- Criteria include:
- Population size
- Population density
- Economic characteristics
- Retention allows long-term comparability of data
Global Best Practices
- UN Statistical Commission’s ‘Degree of Urbanisation’ (DoU):
- Differentiates urban, peri-urban, and rural areas
- Offers a clearer spatial classification beyond administrative limits
Urban Agglomerations and Megacities
- Delhi projected among the world’s five largest urban agglomerations
- Census must capture true spatial extent, including contiguous cities and outgrowths
Detailed Insights:
Limitations of India’s Current Urban Definition
- India follows a conservative, administrative definition of urban areas
- Underestimates actual urbanisation, especially peri-urban zones
- World Bank (2010):
- 55.3% of population lived in urban-like areas
- Census 2011:
- Only 31% classified as urban
Spatial and Geo-statistical Approach
- Creation of an open-access geo-statistical portal
- Dynamically maps:
- Urban agglomerations
- Peri-urban expansion
- Requires safeguards for data anonymity and security
Role of Local Governments
- Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) can update data in real time
- Promotes inter-city competition in service delivery
- Enables targeted improvements in water, sanitation, housing, and mobility
Use of Spatial Grids
- Overlay of static spatial grids (e.g., 1×1 km)
- Minimises distortions caused by frequent changes in ward and municipal boundaries
- Ensures administrative usability
Blended Indicators and Climate Linkages
- Use of blended indicator-based themes to identify underserved areas
- Masking sensitive data while preserving analytical value
- Integration with climate hazard datasets highlights:
- Flood-prone zones
- Heat-stress hotspots
- Supports climate-resilient urban investments
Policy and Platform Integration
- Alignment with:
- PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan
- Digital Postal Index Number (DPIN)
- National Geospatial Policy, 2022
- Enables coherent whole-of-government spatial planning
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Census:
- Decennial population enumeration collecting demographic, social, and economic data
- Urban Agglomeration:
- Continuous urban spread of a town with adjoining urban outgrowths
- Or two or more physically contiguous towns
- Peri-urban Areas:
- Transition zones between urban and rural areas
- Characterised by mixed land use and rapid change
- Degree of Urbanisation (DoU):
- UN-endorsed method for spatial classification of settlements
- Issue & Impact:
- Underreporting of urbanisation affects urban planning, fiscal transfers, and service delivery
Relevant Mains Points:
- Governance Dimension:
- Accurate urban data critical for decentralised planning and fiscal devolution
- Supports evidence-based urban governance
- Geographical Perspective:
- Urbanisation as a spatial and functional process, not merely administrative
- Keywords & Concepts:
- Urban transition, peri-urbanisation, spatial planning, geospatial governance
- Way Forward:
- Complement administrative definitions with spatial and functional indicators
- Institutionalise geo-statistical platforms with privacy safeguards
- Empower ULBs for real-time data updating
- Integrate census outputs with national geospatial and infrastructure platforms
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
- GS 1: Urban Geography, Population and Settlement
- GS 2: Governance, Urban Local Bodies, Digital Governance