ISAS Working Papers

Cities and towns are becoming major economic, employment generation and revenue earning centres. These cities also host the maximum percentage of urban population. The contribution of services and industry relative to agriculture is a rough indication of the performance of the urban sector towards the gross domestic product (GDP). Urban Development in India is a state subject and the central government performs an advisory and coordinating role, apart from providing technical and financing assistance for promoting orderly urbanisation. The reason for this has been subtly elucidated in the Eighth Five Year Plan as 'The identification of regional urban systems was suggested on the basis of regional characteristics and the needs and functions of each town in its regional context'.