Urban Living and Discontented Regeneration of Cities: Reflections on Planning, Social Inclusion and Challenges in the Post-Neoliberal Reforms India
Kapil Kumar Gavsker Ph.D.
Citation : Kapil Kumar Gavsker, Urban Living and Discontented Regeneration of Cities: Reflections on Planning, Social Inclusion and Challenges in the Post-Neoliberal Reforms India International Journal of Research in Geography 2017,3(4) : 92-103
Cities of India are undergoing a phase of tremendous change in their urban geography and development practices. With the neoliberal economic reforms introduced in the country in the early nineties, urban places, preferably large cities and towns, have been comparatively advantageous. They come out as forerunner in attracting investment, increasing attention to urban governance and importantly spatial transformation in relation to growth in sectors of urban economy. Since Indian economy has been passing through the neoliberalization, there seems a common concern that how urbanization is managed has implications for both economic efficiency and equity. This is equally witnessed by a growing interest among policy makers and planners towards better improvement of urban infrastructure, public utility services and urban poverty alleviation. However, rather than achieving holistic regeneration of urban places leading to decent livings, the spatial practices at work seem discontented.