{"id":352784,"date":"2025-12-26T19:22:06","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T13:52:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=352784"},"modified":"2025-12-28T19:56:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T14:26:10","slug":"the-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/the-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems\/","title":{"rendered":"The urban future with cities as dynamic ecosystems"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>UPSC Syllabus Topic:<\/strong> <strong>GS Paper 1-<\/strong> population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and their remedies.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Cities are growing rapidly and pulling people from villages, small towns, and even across national borders. <strong>Migration now shapes how cities function, who they serve, and who they exclude.<\/strong> Yet, many cities are still planned as if populations are fixed and socially uniform. This mismatch between <strong>lived urban realities and designed urban spaces <\/strong>creates exclusion, stress, and inequality. Cities must be understood as <strong>living systems<\/strong>, shaped by movement, diversity, and everyday human needs, not just infrastructure and technology. <strong>The urban future with cities as dynamic ecosystems.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-352881\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/The-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems-300x199.png?resize=409%2C271&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The urban future with cities as dynamic ecosystems\" width=\"409\" height=\"271\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/The-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems.png?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/The-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems.png?resize=1024%2C680&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/The-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems.png?resize=768%2C510&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/The-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems.png?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 409px) 100vw, 409px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What is Migration?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Migration refers to the movement of people away from their usual place of residence to another location, either within a country or across international borders. It includes both temporary and permanent movement and is driven by <strong>employment, marriage, education, conflict, and climate stress<\/strong>.<br \/>\n\u2022 In India, a person is counted as a migrant if their <strong>place of birth or last residence differs from their current place of living<\/strong>. While this method captures internal movement, it does not fully reflect migrants\u2019 <strong>living conditions, access to services, or sense of belonging<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Status of Migration in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Global scale of migration:<\/strong> More than <strong>280 million people globally<\/strong> are migrants, accounting for <strong>3.6% of the world\u2019s population<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong> National scale of migration:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Migrants constitute about <strong>28.88% of India\u2019s population<\/strong>, or nearly <strong>40.2 crore people<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Rural-to-rural migration dominates (55%)<\/strong>, while rural-to-urban and urban-to-urban migration together account for about <strong>35%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Urban growth and future trends:<\/strong> By <strong>2030<\/strong>, over <strong>40% of India\u2019s population<\/strong> is expected to live in urban areas. This growth will be <strong>driven largely by migration<\/strong>, making cities central to India\u2019s economic and social future.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Economic contribution of migrants:<\/strong> Migrant workers contribute <strong>0.5\u20132.5% of GSDP<\/strong> in states such as <strong>Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Maharashtra<\/strong>. Cities rely heavily on migrant labour, skills, and tax contributions for daily functioning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Rising climate-induced displacement:<\/strong> India is the <strong>fourth worst-hit country<\/strong> globally for disaster-related displacement. Around <strong>41 million people<\/strong> were displaced due to weather events between <strong>2020 and 2021<\/strong>, increasing pressure on urban centres.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>What are the major problems faced by migrants?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Linguistic exclusion:<\/strong> Language becomes a compulsory marker of belonging. Migrants who do not speak the dominant urban language face <strong>daily exclusion and reduced acceptance<\/strong> in public life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Invisible economic burden:<\/strong> Limited language access makes <strong>jobs, housing contracts, healthcare, and government services<\/strong> difficult to navigate, creating hidden costs that reduce income and stability.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Push into informal work:<\/strong> Cultural and linguistic barriers force many migrants into <strong>informal employment<\/strong>, marked by low wages, weak protection, and high exploitation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Unequal access to urban services:<\/strong> Despite cities depending on migrant labour and taxes, migrants face barriers in <strong>welfare, healthcare, and public facilities<\/strong>, creating structural inequality.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Planning that ignores migrants:<\/strong> Urban infrastructure is designed for settled residents, rendering migrants <strong>invisible in city planning<\/strong>, even as migration fuels urban growth.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Weak representation in governance:<\/strong> Planning bodies rarely reflect urban diversity, leading to <strong>misaligned schools, transport systems, and public spaces<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Erosion of social belonging:<\/strong> Exclusion undermines migrants\u2019 <strong>dignity, safety, and trust<\/strong>, deepening divisions between long-term residents and newcomers.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>What are the government initiative taken to overcome the problem of migrant?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong> Digital &amp; Social Security Integration<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong> e-Shram Portal (One-Stop Solution):<\/strong> This national database for unorganized workers now serves as a <strong>\u201cOne-Stop Solution\u201d<\/strong>, integrating <strong>14 central social security schemes<\/strong>. Registered migrants can <strong>access and track benefits<\/strong> for schemes like <strong>PM-SYM (pension), Ayushman Bharat (healthcare), and PMAY (housing)<\/strong> through a <strong>single Universal Account Number (UAN)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC):<\/strong> Fully operational across <strong>all 36 States and UTs (as of 2025)<\/strong>. It strengthens <strong>food security<\/strong> by allowing migrants to access <strong>subsidized food grains<\/strong> from <strong>any Fair Price Shop (FPS)<\/strong>in India using their existing ration card and <strong>Aadhaar authentication<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Ayushman Bharat Portability:<\/strong> Migrant workers covered under <strong>PM-JAY<\/strong> can receive up to \u20b9<strong>5 lakh free annual health coverage<\/strong> at <strong>any empanelled hospital nationwide<\/strong>, regardless of their home state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>Legislative &amp; Policy Reforms<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>New Labour Codes (2025):<\/strong> The implementation of <strong>four labour codes<\/strong> (notably the <strong>Social Security Code<\/strong> and <strong>OSH Code<\/strong>) <strong>as of November 21, 2025<\/strong>, has introduced statutory rights such as <strong>minimum wages<\/strong>, <strong>mandatory appointment letters<\/strong>, and <strong>portable social security<\/strong> for <strong>inter-state migrants<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Shram Shakti Niti 2025:<\/strong> A unified <strong>digital labour-governance framework<\/strong> designed to connect workers with <strong>opportunities and welfare services<\/strong> closer to their communities through <strong>District Labour and Employment Resource Centres (DLERCs)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Overseas Mobility Bill 2025:<\/strong> For international migrants, this proposed bill aims to establish an <strong>Overseas Mobility and Welfare Council<\/strong> to provide a <strong>regulatory framework<\/strong> for the <strong>protection and welfare<\/strong> of workers abroad.<\/li>\n<li><strong> All India Survey on Migrant Workers:<\/strong> The <strong>Labour Bureau<\/strong> has conducted an <strong>All India Survey on Migrant Workers<\/strong> to capture their <strong>socio-economic characteristics<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Employment &amp; Housing<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC):<\/strong> Under <strong>PMAY-Urban<\/strong>, this scheme provides <strong>low-cost rental housing<\/strong> for migrants in cities, improving living conditions <strong>near work sites<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (2025):<\/strong> Focused on jobs created between <strong>August 2025 and July 2027<\/strong>, this scheme provides financial incentives of up to \u20b9<strong>15,000<\/strong> for newly employed youth and supports <strong>formalization<\/strong>through <strong>EPFO registration<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan:<\/strong> Launched on <strong>20 June 2020<\/strong>, it aimed to support <strong>returning migrants<\/strong> through <strong>rural works<\/strong> and <strong>infrastructure saturation<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>State-Level Best Practices<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>West Bengal:<\/strong> The <strong>Shramashree Scheme (2025)<\/strong> supports returning migrants with a \u20b9<strong>5,000 one-time grant<\/strong>, <strong>monthly financial aid<\/strong>, and <strong>immediate enrollment<\/strong> in state health and education programs.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Jharkhand:<\/strong> The <strong>Safe and Responsible Migration Initiative (SRMI)<\/strong> focuses on <strong>systemic registration<\/strong> and <strong>helpdesks<\/strong> to track and support migrants at both <strong>source and destination districts<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What should be done?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Rethink cities as living systems:<\/strong> Cities should be treated as <strong>dynamic ecosystems<\/strong>, not fixed structures. Urban planning must accept <strong>constant movement and changing populations<\/strong> as normal, not as an exception.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Anticipate cultural and linguistic friction:<\/strong> City systems should prepare for <strong>diversity in everyday life<\/strong> instead of responding only after problems arise. Measures like <strong>multilingual communication<\/strong> and simpler navigation of services can reduce daily barriers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Invest in cultural sensitisation:<\/strong> Training <strong>public-facing staff<\/strong> to engage with diverse populations is not only about politeness; it improves <strong>service delivery, operational efficiency, dignity, and democratic access<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make governance more inclusive:<\/strong> Planning bodies must reflect the <strong>real diversity<\/strong> of the city. When migrant perspectives are included, planning for <strong>schools, transport, parks, and housing<\/strong> becomes more realistic and effective.<\/li>\n<li><strong> Accept short-term adjustment for long-term gain:<\/strong> Inclusive reforms can create <strong>temporary disruption or commotion<\/strong>, but this is often necessary to reach a <strong>fairer, stronger, and more adaptable<\/strong> city outcome.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strengthen frontline and mobile service delivery:<\/strong> <strong>Frontline health and social workers<\/strong> should actively reach migrants who are excluded from services and schemes. <strong>Preventive health care<\/strong> like vaccinations should be ensured, and <strong>mobile facilities<\/strong> should cover brick kilns, construction sites, and other hard-to-reach work locations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Include migrants in schemes and enable ID access:<\/strong> Government departments, alone or with civil society, should involve migrants in the <strong>design and implementation<\/strong> of benefit schemes. At the same time, systems must ensure migrants can secure the <strong>identification documents<\/strong> needed to access those benefits in cities.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Cities succeed only when they serve <strong>all who live in them<\/strong>. Migration is not a problem but a <strong>defining reality of urban life<\/strong>. When migrants are excluded, cities weaken their own <strong>economic strength, social trust, and resilience<\/strong>. Urban planning must move beyond infrastructure and technology to focus on <strong>people, belonging, and everyday lived experience<\/strong>. <strong>Empathy, inclusion, and recognition of diversity<\/strong> are not optional ideals but the true measures of a successful and sustainable urban future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Question for practice:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Examine how migration shapes urban life in India and discuss the challenges faced by migrants and the measures needed to make cities more inclusive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/the-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems\/article70437555.ece\"><strong>The Hindu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 1- population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and their remedies. Introduction Cities are growing rapidly and pulling people from villages, small towns, and even across national borders. Migration now shapes how cities function, who they serve, and who they exclude. Yet, many cities are still&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/the-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The urban future with cities as dynamic ecosystems<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10320,"featured_media":352881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230],"tags":[263,264,10498],"class_list":["post-352784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","tag-gs-paper-1","tag-society","tag-the-hindu","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/The-urban-future-with-cities-as-dynamic-ecosystems.png?fit=1280%2C850&ssl=1","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10320"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352784"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352784\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/352881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}