Chapter -1 SPATIAL PLANNING AND INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Transcription

1 Chapter -1 SPATIAL PLANNING AND INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT 1. Introduction 2. Concept of Integrated Rural Development 3. Spatial Views of Rural Development Plan 4. Role of Various Models in Integrated Rural Development Plan 5. Concepts of growth centre/ growth point/ pole/ foci 6. Rural Area development strategies in India

2 Chapter -1 SPATIAL PLANNING AND INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT 1. INTRODUCTION: The study of settlements and their planning forms one of the most important parts of human geography. Though the tradition of man environmental study in geography began during the early 19th century with the world and contributions of Alexander-von- Humboldth and Carl - Ritter the study of settlements was being started earlier than the world of these authors. Though geography has been defined as the study of Iandforms, study of environmental relationships, study of areal variations and the study of spatial organizations there is however three themes appear to be dominant. These themes are spatial analysis, ecological analysis and regional analysis. Each of these themes has its proponents, and each in its turn, underlines a substantial number of invitations (Bruce Mitchell 1979). The geographical way of looking at the things is differentiated from other disciplines by the questions posed about location, spatial structure and spatial process (Alber, Adems, Gould 1971). In geographical studies more emphasis is given to regional compositeness, complexity and spatial as well as temporal variations. The distinct contributions of geography lie in synthesizing and integrating the spatial regional and ecological analysis. The spatial perspective of under standing the earth as a home of man or man-earth ecosystem includes regional and ecological dimensions. 2

3 It is observable that planning in various specialized fields of geography began after the emergence of theoretical geography. Today geographers play an effective role in planning and decision-making. This includes spatial planning in various fields such as regional planning, ecological planning, landuse planning, Urban and Rural planning etc. Since the settlements are considered as strong physical expressions in a spatial unit, geographers are more interested in studying the geographical dimensions of the Urban and Rural settlements and are able to suggest an effective plan for the regional development. 2. CONCEPT OF INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT: As long ago as 1936 Mahatma Gandhi expressed and stressed about the Rural character of the economy and the need for regeneration of rural life. In the periodical paper Harijan dated 4th April 1936, he wrote that India is to be found not in its few cities but in it are 7,000,00 villages. But we the town dwellers have believed that India is to be found in it's towns. We have hardly paused to enquire if those poor folk get sufficient to eat and clothe themselves with and whether they have a roof to shelter themselves from sun and rain. I would say that if the villages perish India will perish too. It will not be India any more. Her own mission in the world will get lost. The revival of the village life is possible only when it is no more exploited. Rural Development is 3

4 therefore an absolute and urgent necessity in India now and we continue to be so in future. It is a sine quanon of the development of India. The term development is too well-known not only to geographers, but also to economist and others social scientists concerned with human welfare and progress. It is a positive and qualitative change. In reference to the area development it includes land types, landuse structure, settlement structure, social and economic infrastructure and their inter-relationships, both existing and proposed. The development of the locality is relative to the location of various socio - economic activities in an area and location where they are situated. An appropriate location of a new function may start a chain recreation of development with far reaching implication. Thus the term rural development refers a positive and qualitative as well as quantitative change. The rural cultural landscape of the locality encompasses the natural environment culture, history and socio economic characteristics of the region and helps in understanding the past and present inherent processes. Planning for integrated rural area development has been broadly discussed by planners and scholars of different disciplines in different ways but there is a lack of consensus on its definition and scope. Planning for integrated rural area development has four aspects to be discussed, viz., planning, integrated, rural area and development. 4

5 The term 'planning' means to make a plan are to make a design for, to arrange before hand. In general, planning means determination of an action or series of actions beforehand. Higgins (1981) defines planning as the systematic application of a range of technical and professional skills to the process of decision-making with the technical and professional purpose of improving resource allocation and income distribution in the interest of defined social groups. The term 'integrated' refers to the process, which aims at directing to inter-related economic activities in a desired direction. Some scholars regard it as a substitute for processes by which a group of activities is proposed or decided upon or the manner in which some spatial programmes or activities are linked to the general framework to obtain optimum results. In the context of rural development integration has been interpreted, either as a process of inter sectoral co-ordination or as in the sense of integrated project approach with the care project as the basic starting point and then weaving around it all the complementaries and linkages, but both approaches, the inter-sectoral approach and the project approach, are partial in scope. In the context of development, which has emerged in the country, 'integrated' refers two types of integration: i) Functional integration ii) Spatial Integration 5

6 The functional integration refers to the integration of all kinds of socio-economic activities, which directly influence the welfare of the people, such as medical, education, agriculture, transportation and communication etc. In other words, the integrated approach in development offers a proper co-ordination between the social and economic activities of people dependent to a great extent upon their location. The spatial integration is the product of the pattern of different activities in any area. The term 'rural' has been used in demographic sense to those areas, which have been characterized by the non - urban style of life, occupational structure, social organization and the settlement pattern. Rural area consists of villages and most of its inhabitants are engaged in agriculture and allied sector. Thus in totality integrated Rural Development refers to the appropriate location of social and economic activities over a physical space for the balanced development of a region. The concept of integrated approach has been mooted with the objective of looking for a uniform harmonious growth in various areas of agriculture, waste utilization, agro-industries, rural housing, health etc. (Bhatia, 1977). Broadly speaking, the concept in context of an area, refers to its functional, spatial and temporal aspects which are inter-related in various complex forms. The functional integration refers to the 6

7 integration of all economic and social activities, needed for modernization and betterment of living. Thus health, education, agriculture, industry, transport and several other aspects of our day-today living over tap. The main concept behind it is that a function or an activity, which exists in a central place or in an area focus, must directly or indirectly be connected with the other existing functions. For achieving such integration, inter-relationship in a desired form at different levels is required. The integrated Area development planners determine and propose the functions on an interrelated basis with a view to maximizing functional co-ordination and removing the negative or adverse effects and counter effects on other functions or activities. The spatial integration indicates the local and areal spread aspects of growth and development activities in which the total regional settlement system in space is involved. Here, the actual location of a specific function in relation to other functions count on a host of factors and so while proposing new activities or functions to promote development due care has to be taken of complexity of locational choice which requires a proper understanding of functional interrelationships and chain reaction in spatial context as it goes a long way towards the development of an area (Sen, L.K. 1977). The third dimension of integration is related to time, which in parts viewing the present with an eye ever open for the future. Time perspective plans are required for the full focus on development in a 7

8 particular region various plans of different time spans i.e., short-term, long-term perspective etc can be worked out emphasizing potentials and future possibilities. So that progressive harmony is maintained between growing regional population and required resources. Integrated area development thus refers to the appropriate location of social and economic activities over a physical space for the maximum rather optimum, use and exploitation of physical and human resources available in a region for its balanced development. A brief resume of integrated rural area development as enunciated by the I. G. U. Commission with particular reference to the developing world is as follows: 1. Physico-cultural Resource base-locational characteristics and utilization patterns of the resource. 2. Land Resource-System of land-tenure, field patterns water distribution and utilization schemes level of land resource management. 3. Existing pattern of settlement-historical influence of the colonization and setting systems-effective on the Socioeconomic, cultural and political perspectives. 4. Provision of services and amenities to the rural area traditional setup, level of provision of services and facilities by existing service centers loyalties Vs. Socio economic space articulation (Social space marketing net etc.,) 5. Demographic dimension-population as resource spatial distribution-qualitative and quantitative aspect of migration scope and impact of effective migration. 8

9 6. Land utilization pattern cropping systems-agricultural facilities, irrigation and soil conservation schemes-others aspects of agriculture-food sufficiency level-nutritional levels agroindustrial, other industrial unite impact on the territorial organization of rural resources and areas. 7. Circulation patters-growth and existing of transport and communication net-rural education level and facilities vocational training facilities. 8. Rural employment structure-health care and medical facilities. Rural housing as part of health and economic development schemes. Planning is a decision making process in view of scientific and technological development of the society, which is applicable in a wide variety of situations (Wilson, 1972), so far as its applied aspect is concerned it is a "Progressive, step-by-step process, not a visionary master blue print of Utopia" (Hillaman, 1957). This is because the "traditional ways cannot be changed in a day" (S.W. Allen, 1959) rather it requires active participation and initiative of the whole community (Santory, 1958). The idea behind village development is specifically a development from below (Hicks 1961), which is a peoples programme with government participation to eradicate, inter-alia, the distressing. 3. SPATIAL VIEWS OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN: The introduction of space dimension to the sectoral process of planning helps the development of theory to correct major weakness of previous analysis. It helps in identifying the allocative efficiency of 9

10 resource use and locational considerations of 'Social Equity'. Thus space-dimension satisfies both the goods of economic and social planning and an urban and regional focus permits the consolidation of local planning and the desegregation of national planning at convenient intermediate level. It also allows planners to take in to account the spatial aspects of economic and social change. Spatial analysis is therefore making it possible for identification of planning areas both urban and regional on functional lines for economic and social planning. Spatial planning assumes that the spatial incidence of the various elements, natural and man made leads to the formation of spatial subsystems of regions. Sectoral developments can be implemented within a spatial framework according to the specific requirements of the different spatial units, which may differ from each other in terms of physical, economic, social and cultural conditions. The spread of an economic development has a spatial dimension. Spatial planning can be of two types: i) Adaptive and ii) Developmental Adaptive spatial planning is based on recognition of the impact of general trends of development on the spatial system. It tries to streamline the process of spatial evolution to achieve a spatial structure, which promotes efficiency and growth of the industry or activities in existence at a particular point of line. 10

11 Developmental or active planning is based on the preserve and requirements of national economic development. It tries to identify and achieve within a dynamic and historical context, a pattern of evolution of the spatial structure that is likely to promote rapid economic development. The spatial organization of the economic and sociocultural activity is conceived as a means to promote long term economic development rather than viewing spatial organization as something to be adapted to the existing trends of development. Any plan for integrated rural development must be based on:- 1. An area, its resource and the complementary lines among them. 2. Its residents and the complementary competive relations among them. 3. The potential of self-reliance that the area and the people concerned can attain and the degree of dependence that is inevitable or even desirable on persons and resource outside the area. 4. The infrastructure, both material and human, necessary for development. 5. The production techniques or the technology that can simultaneously increase employment, productivity and production, equitable distribution of the gains of development and up light of the poor back world among its population. 6. The institutions, motivations and policies that are needed for coordinated increases in production, equitable distribution of out 11

12 put, increased employment and utilization of development facilities by the poor and the backward for the removal of their poverty. 4 ROLE OF VARIOUS MODELS IN INTEGRATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN The following are the main models, which have helped in designing the integrated rural development plan. Central place theory: Walter Christaller tried to study the role of town and city as central place because it supplies goods and services in all direction of surrounding areas. They have central place with regards to their hinterland central places have got functional hierarchy in size also. This theory explains about the tertiary activity. This theory is regarded as Christallerian Model. In 1933 Walter wrote central place in South Germany the work practical implication was meant to a planning at that time in Germany. The central place theory can also be called as Spatial Organization theory. In central place theory the key words used are. 1. Central Place. 2. Range of Goods. 3. Threshold of Population.

13 4. Market Optimizing Principal. 5. Administration Optimizing Principal. 1. Central Place; A settlement providing goods and services for the population of a hinterland. The production place, which is service center for its hinterland is the central place. 2. Threshold; The minimum level of demand requires to ensure profit to the individual producer of a good. In other words the demand area is die threshold. 3. Range: Maximum spatial extent of sales of goods. The ranges are usually circular since it enables the maximum number of customers to be supplied at the minimum cost. Assumptions and Postulates: The simplifying assumptions of the central place theory are: 1. A region characterized by a flat featureless plain of uniform fertility with no interruptions cracked by physical features such as Mountain Rivers. Such a uniform plain is called on isotropic surface. 2. An economy based on providing goods and services to the surrounding population and not on the production of primary or secondary area. 3. An equality spaced but discontinuous population with uniform purchasing power and uniform tastes and preferences. 13

14 4. The differentiated set of goods and services which have varying thresholds and which customers purchase from the nearest central place. 5. All parte of the region being served by some central place. 6. Transport is available in all directions at a cost, which increases in direct proportion to the distance involved. 7. A minimum threshold of population to support the central place. In simple terms, the threshold populations can be considered a K- value. According to Chirstaller, there are 3 basic types of K-systems. A) K- 3 System: This evolves on the basis of the market principal. In the K - 3 system the hierarchical arrangement of settlements is according to the rule of 3. Each new center is located midway between 3 centres of the next highest order. In effect each new centre and its market area is shared between the three higher order centers within the hinterland of many highest order centers, i.e., one third of each of the six centers surrounding the next higher order centre plus the centre itself leading to a K - 3 system. B) K-4 System: In the K-4 systems the cost of constructing transport networks is more important and as a result the central places would be located on the basis of the traffic or transport principal. This is because many places would lie on the traffic route between larger towns. As a result 14

15 each major town will command the loyalty of half the population of surrounding six smaller towns plus its own population leading to a K-4 systems. C) K - 7 system: This is found in the regions with a highly developed system of central administration. In a K-7 systems there would be no competition from alternative central places and there is no divided allegian of the population of six lower order centers surrounding the central place. Hence the central place will command the loyalty of six surrounding centers plus its own leading to K-7 system. It is a fact that most plans for the provision of economic services and social facilities take some kind of central place framework as their point of departure. The propositions and postulates of the central place theory are without doubt of much help in spatial planning. Relevance of Losch's Model: The first attempt to develop a general theory of location with the major emphasis on demand was made by A. Losch in This sought to explain the size and shape of market areas within which a location would command the largest revenue. Losch simplified the world to a flat uniform plain held supply constant and assumed that demand for a product decreased with an increase in the price. If this price increase was the result of an increase in transport costs then demand would decrease with distance form a production. 15

16 The basis of Losch's theory is a modified demand curve however, for those unfamiliar with such diagrams. It might be helpful to consider a simple demand curve first before moving on to Losch's modifications. After proving that theoretically the market are circular in shape Losch looked for the nearest Shape to the circle that will pack. Elementary packing theory confirms his choice of the hexagon. In the first of the series of a basic pattern of hexagonal market areas for one product is shown. However because demand for different products will vary, the landscape will have a complex network of market areas, one for each producer Losch rotated each of many hexagonal networks around the largest central place, which acted as the hub of settlement system, dominating the economy of region. The networks were rotated until as many as possible of the same central places, such as arrangement ensures that: The aggregate distance between all settlements is minimized * The minimum number of goods can be supplied by locally. Transport routes and movement along them are minimized Losch's theory has been criticized for its abstract nature and its failure to take in to account the problems arising from the locational interdependence of plants. Just as Weber was criticized for overemphasizing supply, so Losch was criticized for overemphasizing demand, but subsequent attempts to integrate these two aspects by writers such as M. Greenhut and W. Isard have not been totally successful and there is still on generally accepted theory of location. 16

17 In 1940 the economist A Losch presented an important modification of Christaller's model like Christaller, he again used hexagonal service areas, but allowed various hexagonal systems to coexist. In Losch's model the various hexagonal systems K=3, K=4, K=7 and others, operate at different levels and are superimposed on each other. The application of a variable K value produces a continuum of settlements sizes more closely in line with the theoretical result of the rank-size rule. 5 CONCEPTS OF GROWTH CENTRE, GROWTH POINT/ POLty FOCI: In recent years the strategy for planning economic development of region has been evolved largely on the growth centre concept modeled very closely of the postulates of the central place theory enunciated by Walter Christaller, Growth Pole theory evolved by Erancois perroux many people like Brain Berry Allen pred, John Friedman and William Alonso and among Indians V. L. S. Prakash Rao, K. V. Sundaram, R. P. Misra, L.S. Bhat and other have applied the growth centre concept in their several studies. Excellent brief reviews of this concept are presented in 'central place studies' a bibliography by Brian Berry and Allen Pred and in Regional Development and planning edited by john Friedman and William Alonso. The growth centre concept is now advocated and applied in many countries even through they have different political, 17

18 Social and economic systems and happen to be at different stages of development. The present study adopts this concept as the tool it provides for investigation. The most comprehensively treated aspects of the concept are: 1. Functions of growth points in abstract economic space rather than actual space. 2. Unbalanced and balanced development. 3. Growth points as places of both origin and transmission of development impulses. 4. The viability of the growth points may act as foci for drainage, debilitating rather than assisting an area. 5. The possibility that growth points may act foci for drainage, delimitating rather than assisting an area. 6. The optimum maximum and minimum sizes of growth points. 7. The differing functions of growth points within countries and economics experiencing different levels and intensities of development. 8. The relationship of the growth point theory to other theories, including the central place theory, basic-non-basic theory, international theory and industrial location theory. Existing growth point theory thus has provided an interesting range of questions and some insight into regional economic phenomena and conditions, but to date has presented little which can be considered a firm base for policy recommendation and implementation. 18

19 The case of the growth pole's theory was partly due to its author, Perroux with an innate French imagination, he put his fundamental ideas, but has failed to carry them out to the end. A lot of space has been left out in order to clarify its terms and notions. This clarification concerns sometimes the essence of the theory. Because the number of reasons, one could not pass over the fundamentals of this theory. First, the interpretation of this theory is, to a certain degree different form, one stated in the economic literature. Second, the growth pole theory entails to be raised at a higher degree of abstraction. That is the precondition for both how to find the way out of numerous ambiguities and how to systematize the partial knowledge about regional development. Third, the experience of the European countries both Western and Eastern, demonstrate particular regularities being significant, for empirical verifications of some theoretical filtrations appear to be specially important for the utilization of the growth poles theory in the normative sense. 6. RURAL AREA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN INDIA: "Strategies for promotion of quality of rural life" in developing countries, like India, involves removal of social -economic and spatial inequalities without any undue stress on ecological system through the processes of resource utilization and environmental management, particularly in well-identified problem areas both at local (micro) and regional levels. 19

20 In the Indian context, the strategies can be oriented to: i) Maximisation of growth through regional development in less developed regions. ii) iii) Direct attack on poverty in some of the developed regions and, Structural changes in other regions for stimulating growth as well as for ensuring better distribution. The strategies appear to underplay the vital role of factors such as entrepreneurship, administration, constraints and possibilities arising from the particular cultural framework, the bargaining power of less developed regions and the less privileged groups. In the wake of launching a drive to achieve goals of planning within definite time periods, some area and people specific programme and schemes have been launched. Notable among them are DPAP (Drought Phrone Area Programme), TDP (Tribal Development Programme), HADP (Hill Area Development Programme) CADP (Command Area Development Programme), etc. these are all area based programmes where as SFDA (Small Farmers Development Agency), RMNP (Revised Minimum Need Programme), REP (Rural Employment Programme) and IRDP (Integrated Rural Development Programme) are aimed at amelioration of conditions of target groups in the population i.e., the weaker sections of the community. 20