Census town#India

In India, a census town is one which is not statutorily notified and administered as a town, but nevertheless whose population has attained urban characteristics.{{cite news|last=Ramachhandran, M.|title=Rescuing cities from chaos|url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/article2889750.ece|access-date=8 March 2012|newspaper=The Hindu Business Line|date=13 February 2012|archive-date=18 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318180043/http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/article2889750.ece|url-status=dead }} They are characterized by the following:

• Population exceeds 5,000
• At least 75% of main male working population is employed outside the agricultural sector
• Minimum population density of 400 persons per km²{{cite web|title= Some terms and definitions|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/kerala/13-concept-34.pdf|publisher=Census of India|access-date=8 March 2012|archive-date=21 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421063817/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/kerala/13-concept-34.pdf|url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |last=Jenkins |first=Cordelia |last2=Anuja |date=2 Oct 2012 |title=New ‘census’ towns showcase new India |url=http://origin-www.livemint.com/Politics/HQzcUy1meBiq2aeaS9dAZO/New-census-towns-showcase-new-India.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004014356/http://origin-www.livemint.com/Politics/HQzcUy1meBiq2aeaS9dAZO/New-census-towns-showcase-new-India.html |archive-date=Oct 4, 2012 |website=Mint}}

The number of census towns (CTs) in India grew from 1,362 in 2001 to 3,894 in 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/India2/1.%20Data%20Highlight.pdf|title=Census of India 2011 – Provisional Population Totals - Urban Agglomerations and Cities |website=Census of India |access-date=28 September 2016|archive-date=3 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403173544/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/India2/1.%20Data%20Highlight.pdf|url-status=live}} As per Pradhan (2013), these CTs account for 30% of the urban growth in the last decade.{{Cite journal|date=2015-06-05|title=Unacknowledged Urbanisation|url=http://www.epw.in/journal/2013/36/special-articles/unacknowledged-urbanisation.html |url-access=subscription |first1=Kanhu Charan |last1=Pradhan |journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=48|issue=36|access-date=29 September 2016|archive-date=2 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002090524/http://www.epw.in/journal/2013/36/special-articles/unacknowledged-urbanisation.html|url-status=live}} Pradhan also notes that the largest increase in the number of CTs was in the states of West Bengal and Kerala.

The Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, in May 2016 asked the 28 states in India to take action to start the process of recognizing CTs as urban areas.{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=145405|title=States asked to convert 3,784 urban areas into statutory Urban Local Bodies|website=pib.nic.in|access-date=2016-09-29|archive-date=1 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001201535/http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=145405|url-status=live}} The argument given for this conversion was that a statutory Urban Local Body (ULB) is required to ensure planned development of these areas. In this notification, Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development) notes:

The opportunity of planned urban development might get lost if unplanned construction and ad hoc provisioning of infrastructure is allowed to take place over a long time.

Following this notification, Maharashtra state government converted 19 CTs in the state to statutory ULBs.{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/19-new-civic-bodies-to-boost-urbanization-in-Pune/articleshowprint/52381346.cms?null|title=19 new civic bodies to boost urbanization in Pune – Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2016-09-29|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215073559/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/19-new-civic-bodies-to-boost-urbanization-in-Pune/articleshowprint/52381346.cms?null|url-status=live}} These 19 CTs are in close proximity to the town of Pune and this conversion is expected to lessen the infrastructure and population pressures on the town.

{{further|Census town (Ireland)}}

According to Ireland's Central Statistics Office, a census town by definition was a "cluster of fifty or more occupied dwellings, not having a legally defined boundary, in which within a distance of 800 m there is a nucleus of either thirty occupied houses on both sides of the road or twenty occupied houses on one side of the Road". Census towns were distinct from municipal towns; the latter, which had legally defined boundaries and local government powers, were abolished by the Local Government Reform Act 2014. Census towns were replaced by built up areas in the 2022 census.{{cite web |title=Census 2022 Urban Boundaries and Built Up Areas |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/census/census2022/census2022urbanboundariesandbuiltupareas/ |website=CSO |date=21 June 2023 |access-date=3 July 2023}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=2004-06-16|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=2008-11-01|publisher= Census Commission of India}}

Category:Types of towns