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Unit I Introduction
Unit I Introduction
Unit I Introduction
Definition
A region is a sub-system within a system (the country itself) and if sub-systems develop
greater inter-connectivity, the greater will be the efficiency of the system.
A region means track of land; any area; space; portion of earth's surface.
A region is a geographical or areal unit with certain limits and bounds. The units may consist
of a few
• Villages
• Districts
• States
• Countries
• Continents
Hence, a region may be a thought of an areal or spatial organisation of varying dimensions.
An area of any size homogenous throughout with respect to the announced criteria:
Homogeneity,
Nodality and
Administrative Convenience (D. Witlesey, 1954)
Table Types of Regions
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newspaper circulation areas, it, enable direct people
domiciliary origin of students participation have a growth
in educational institutions, point.
labour catchment areas.
All regions are ‘problem regions’ in one way or the other, level of development
notwithstanding. A structural set of different types of regions has its own ‘dualism’
everywhere. The essential task of planning is to bind various regions into a system in which
only those inequalities remain in which simply cannot be obliterated (eradicated).
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The regional development generates multiplier effects, causing the emergence and
development of related sectors, subcontractors, and the regional services market, and
contributing to the strengthening of the competitive position of the region. Export as an
important factor of long-term growth may contribute to the reduction of development
differences (income level) in the regions.
Regional Disparities
The regional development disparity refers to difference in economic development and
uneven economic achievement in different geographical regions. It is reflected by multiple
indicators like
Proportion of population living below poverty line
Proportion of population engaged in agriculture, industry and infrastructure projects
Proportion of urban population
Per capita income
2. Geographical Factors
Undulating terrain surrounded by rivers, lakes, mountains, hills, very dense forest, drought
prone and flood prone areas increase the regular cost of governance, administration,
development projects, logistics.
The mobilization or transportation of goods or resources is quite difficult in rocky terrain.
For example, Himalayan regions:
Jammu and Kashmir,
Ladakh,
Himachal Pradesh,
Uttarakhand,
North-eastern states and
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Sikkim.
These regions are remained backward comparatively due to inaccessibility and other
inherent difficulties.
3. Location Specific Advantages
Some areas have locational advantage including availability of
• Markets
• Roads
• Railway networks
• Port facilities
• Raw materials
• Cheap and skilled labour force
Some regions have special advantage for site selections of numerous developmental
projects such as oil refineries are mostly located close to sea such as Bombay High Field for
easy transportation.
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Green Revolution improved agricultural sector to certain extent through the adoption of
new agricultural strategy of
High yielding variety seeds
Assured irrigation
Technological knowhow
Chemical and Fertilisers
Although, the real benefits of green revolution were restricted to a few regions or states
including
Punjab
Haryana and
Western Uttar Pradesh
as these belts had the advantage of irrigation facilities, were traditionally wheat growing
states, with adequate policy support from their respective state governments.
There were several regions that lacked such support from their governments and
couldn't reap benefits of Green Revolution.
8. Crime
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Provision social amenities
Political viability and so forth
in backward regions to make it feasible. The ultimate aim to raise the living standards of
people residing in backward regions to those of advanced.
Balanced, which means that various units, say adjacent local areas or regions,
coordinate their activities, and co-develop their resources, to the mutual benefit of all units, and
with a view to equalizing the chances of long-term development in order to promote social
cohesion
Significance of Balanced Regional Development (Ram Rajya)
1. Political Stability
Balanced regional development (BRD) play a vital role in maintaining the political
stability of the country. The best example is India
If there are regional disparities in terms of political opportunities, then these are the
greatest threats to the national security and solidarity. That’s why Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
inserted the provision for reservation in the Constitution.
The regional disparities led to the formation of Bangladesh as an independent country
from Pakistan as Pakistan tried to rule relentlessly without giving political autonomy
to Bangladesh despite, they win the general election with majority (Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman).
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For example, if regional disparities prevail, then the low levels of income in the
backward regions will retard the development of developed regions owed to lack of
adequate demand for the products of the latter.
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7. Minimising Backwash Effects
Regional inequalities observed that least developed countries are subjected to regional
difference in
• Income and
• Employment
The main reason is strong backwash effect and weak spread effects prevailing in such
economies (Gunnar Myrdal).
Such kind of regional inequalities are aggravated by several factors like
• Trade
• Capital movements and
• Migration
Under such a situation, developed regions gain at the cost of backward regions.
Regional inequalities are accentuated as the backwash effects become stronger than
spread effects.
Thus, underdeveloped regions should try to contain regional inequalities by
minimising the backwash effects undertaken by deliberate state actions. (Gunnar
Myrdal).
8. Easily Defend the Nation
BRD is pre-requisite for a proper defense of the country from foreign attacks.
The equally developed regions encompass widespread dispersal of industries and can
easily face all sorts of attacks without disrupting its war efforts.
The development of a few areas and deployment of industries in them will hamper the
entire governance of the nation.
It leads to a stand-still circumstances and can be a major cause of its self-destruction.
Hence, BRD is indispensable for national security and defense.
9. Secularism
State and religion are two separate entity and must be treated accordingly.
State should not be entered in religion and religion has no place in state, then only
balanced regional development can be achieved.
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Conclusion
The geographical diversity and different levels of development across regions require
location specific targeted action in less prosperous regions to ensure a minimum acceptable
level of prosperity. If representative government is so weak when operating among
European people, where secularization of politics has gone far further. How much weak
must it be in the country where politics is nothing but theology (religion) in action.
The constitutional morality is not a natural sentient, it has to be cultivated in every
circumstance except in case of national emergency. We must realise that our people have
yet to learn it Democracy in India is only is only a top dressing on Indian soil, which is
essentially undemocratic. There is urgent need to invigorate (energise) civil societies in these
domains as it is now well accepted in developmental studies that the region with higher social
capital tends to develop more rapidly and sustainably.