Semester _ III

EO – 21 (Elective Paper)

URBAN ECONOMICS

PREAMBLE

           Rapid economic development leads to rapid urbanization. Urbanisation is an indicator of economic growth. Developed countries have higher and rapid urbanisation than the developing countries. Rapid urbanisation results in increased demand for urban infrastructure development and provision of utility services. The urban local governments can play a significant role in that context. Hence these are important issues necessary to study, which is being studied by the Urban Economics. The exclusive objective of this paper is enable the students the knowledge of  urbanization, urban problems, financing of infrastructure, urban planning and role of urban local bodies in urban development.  

 UNIT I: URBANISATION AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS        (15 Periods)

 (A) Urbanization: Meaning- urbanization concepts- Factors affecting - Urbanization in India;   

       trends and factors of urbanization

(B) Human Settlements; Meaning- structure

(C)  Central place theory and spatial economic organization  

 UNIT II: ECONOMICS OF CITY SIZE                                         (15 Periods)

 (A) Costs and benefits of city size–optimum size of city - Agglomeration economics

(B)  Economics of location – Economic base theory and economic base multiplier

(C) Monocentric and Poly –Nucleus urban structures

 UNIT III: URBAN PROBLEMS                                          (15 Periods)

 (A)  Immigration – Housing and Slums -Drinking Water and Sewerage system

(B)  Crime- Prostitution - Transport and Communication problems

(C)  Environmental pollution and health -. 

 UNIT IV: URBAN PLANNING, FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT    (15 Periods)

 (A) Concept of town and urban planning – Principles and practices

(B) Financing of Urban Infrastructure

(C)  Urban Local Public Finance -   Municipal Administration