Urbanisation and Governance in Tamil Nadu and Kerala: Aspects of Service Delivery
Anil Kumar Vaddiraju
Abstract
This exploratory paper examines the issue of urbanisation and urban governance with reference to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The paper is a comparative study of these two states with case studies drawn from one district of each state. Urbanisation is a historical process which entails a fundamental structural transformation. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are two contiguous states within South India, undergoing rapid urbanisation. According to the 2011 census, the percentage of urbanisation in the case of Tamil Nadu amounts to 48.45 and in respect of Kerala about 48, much above the national average of 31.2. This is sufficient raison d’être for examining the nature and pattern of urbanisation and urban governance in these two states. This paper addresses the following questions:a) What is the nature of the urbanisation process taking place in Tamil Nadu and Kerala?; b) What is the status of urban decentralisation?; c )Are there specific urban governance issues emerging out of the urbanisation pattern in these two states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, related to urban sanitation and drinking water?