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Chapter-IV

Urban Structure of Kolkata City: A Geographical Analysis 125

Chapter-IV

4.1 INTRODUCTION :

“The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant,

the population is growing”.

- George Bernard Shaw.

Shaw would have thought twice had he come to the city of

Kolkata where along with the population, intelligence is also growing.

Being the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, Kolkata is located

in eastern India on the east bank of the River Hooghly and houses a

population of almost 5 million, with an extended metropolitan

population of over 14 million. Kolkata’s population has made this

fourth-largest city in India, the third-largest urban agglomeration.

The concepts of distribution and density of population, though

not identical, are so intimately related to each other that there is a

genuine reason to discuss them simultaneously under the same

chapter. In the earlier years of history of human settlements when the

distribution followed linear patterns, the explanations for such

distributions were not difficult to discover. With the spread of

population into vast areal units of irregular administrative size, the

controls of such patterns have become more and more complex defying

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an easy interpretation. The analysis of population distribution and

density holds immense significance for population geographers, as its

successful understanding holds the key to the analysis of entire

demographic character of an area.

The term ‘demography’ has been defined as the study of

components of population variation and change. It was applied in

French Academic circles to statistics concerning the life conditions of

the people especially those affecting health and mortality, but in

modern usage, it has been restricted to the study of population, i.e., the

quantitative analysis of population structure and trend.

During the last million years, new and incredibly thin layer has

spread over large part of the earth’s surface by the contact of air, water

and land. This layer is spread over man and his work. Thus, man,

being a resource helps himself for the development of his own society

and country or a region. In view of this, the study of human

distribution and working force in the development of the study area in

a particular state and nation in general is very essential.

Thus, uneven distribution of population needs proper adjustment

of existing things through special planning in relation with the

economic condition of the region. Such planning only could bring the

rise in the standard of living of the population. Therefore, population

planning is most important in resource and development planning, as

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population is the main element with reference to which other resources

are planned.

The population growth and distribution has attracted increasing

attention from geographer and planners in India from two or three

decades to make the special approach in them to solve the human

problem, which is a great task to handle. Here an attempt has been

made on demographic dimension and human resources to examine the

pattern of population growth in the study area. The study includes the

spatial and temporal variation and distribution of population features

like growth, trend of urban population, population density, sex ratio,

literacy, migration, occupational structure etc.

4.1.1 Population- Concepts and Meaning:

Population:

A group of individual or items that share one or more

characteristics from which data can be gathered or analyzed.

Population is about people and the dwellings, locations and

environment that people live in. Population can be defined in many

ways, for e.g. by age, ethnicity, type of housing, birthplace or location.

A population is all the organisms that belong to the same species

and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define

the population is such that inter- breeding is possible between any pair

within the area and more probable than cross- breeding with

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individuals from other areas. Normally breeding is substantially more

common within the area than across the border.

In Sociology, population refers to a collection of human beings.

Demography is a sociological discipline, which entails the statistical

study of human population.

Thus, demography is a characteristic used to describe some

aspect of a population and that can be measured for that population,

such as growth rate, age structure, birth rate and gross reproduction

data.

In other words, demographics or demographic data are the

characteristics of a human population. These types of data are used

widely in sociology, public policy and marketing. Demographic trends

describe the changes in demographics in a population over time.

4.1.2 Population Distribution and Density:

a. Distribution:

Population distribution is a reflection of how our population is

distributed relative to some resources. It means the pattern of where

people live. World population distribution is uneven. Places that are

sparsely populated contain few people. Places that are densely

populated contain many people. Sparsely populated places tend to be

difficult places to live in. These are usually places with hostile

environments, e.g. Antarctica. Places, which are densely populated, are

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habitable environment, e.g. Europe. Distribution of a population within

a defined area can be an important factor to consider in planning and

analysis work. For e.g. clusters of families in only some suburbs of a

city could influence planning for further school placements.

b. Density:

Population density is a measurement of the number of people in

an area. It is an average number. Population density is calculated by

dividing the number of people by area. Population density is usually

shown as the number of people per sq.km. The density of population is

the indicator of human concentration and gives some indication

regarding the extent of population pressure. Density and growth of

population follows the rainfall line, the concept was true in older days

as well as it is today, but to some extent the concept has changed and

it has followed, apart from the rainfall line, urbanization and

industrialization, both having extended their influence on population,

density and growth. There is a distinct spatial variation in the

distribution of population. This variation has been affected by

geographic factors and by a number of social, economic and special

processes like industrialization, urbanization and regionalization linked

with distribution of population. The economic characteristics of an area

exert a much more direct effect upon its population patterns than its

peripheral characteristics, which play an important role for the overall

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development of the area. Hence, it is very interesting to study the

density and distribution of population in the study area.

4.1.3 Population: Growth, Distribution and Density:

a. WORLD:

Latest official current world population estimates for the mid-year

2010, is estimated at 6,852,472,823 (6,915958 billion). The world

population has experienced continuous growth since the end of

Bubonic Plague around the years 1348- 1350. The highest rates of

growth- increases above 1.8% per year- were seen briefly during the

1950’s for a longer period during the 1960’s and 1970’s ; the growth

rate peaked at 2.2% in 1963 and declined to 1.1% by 2009. Annual

births have reduced to 140 million since their peak at 173 million in

the late 1990’s, and are expected to remain constant, while deaths

number 57 million per year and are expected to increase to 80 million

per year by 2040. Current projection show a continued increase of

population (but a steady decline in the population growth rate) with the

population expected to reach between 7.5 to 10.5 billion in the year

2050.

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Sources : NATMO, Kolkata, 1991.

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TABLE: 4.1: TRENDS OF GROWTH IN POPULATION OF THEWORLD

Fig:4.1:

Estimated Future Population Growth Trends in the World

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

Years

Fig.4.1:shows that world population

increased from 3 billion in 1959 to 6 billion

by 1991 a doubling that occurred over 40

years. The Census Bureau’s latest

projection imply that population growth will continue into the 21st

century, although more slowly. The world population is projected to

grow from 6 billion in 1991 to 9 billion by 2044, an increase of 50%

that is expected to require 45 years.

b: INDIA:

With 1,210,000,000 (1.21 billion) people, India is currently the

World’s second largest country. India crossed the one billion mark in

the year 2000; one year after the world’s population crossed the 6

billion thresholds. India is currently home to about 1.21 billion people,

representing a full 17% of the earth’s population. India’s 2011 census

showed that the country’s population had grown by 181 million people

in the prior decade.

YEARSPOPULATION

(in billion)

1950 2.5

1960 3

1970 3.7

1980 4.5

1990 5.3

2000 6

2010 6.9

2020 7

2030 8

2040 9

2050 9.2

Source: Census Bureau( USA)

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c. WEST BENGAL:

West Bengal is the fourth most populous state in India with a

population of 91,347,736 (7.55% of India’s population, Census-2011).

The state of West Bengal has an area of 88,752 sq.km. and a

population density of 903 per sq.km. (as against the national average of

312). The decadal growth rate of the state is 17.77% (against 21.54%

for the country).

d. KOLKATA:

The population of Kolkata is 4,486,679 according to 2011

census. It ranks 5th among all the other metropolitan cities of India. It

has a density of 27,462 per sq.km. The population of the urban

agglomeration is 15,644040 (2010). The different concepts for analyzing

the demography of Kolkata are as follows:

4.2 Population Trends of Kolkata (growth, density, distribution)

4.3 Sex- Ratio

4.4 Religion

4.5 Literacy

4.6 Migration

4.7 Occupational Structure

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Table: 4.1.1: POPULATION OF INDIA, WEST BENGAL ( URBAN) AND

KOLKATA CITY- 1961-2001:

UrbanSl.No.

YearsIndia West Bengal

KolkataCity(Million)

1 1961 78.16 8.54 5.98

2 1971 107.82 10.97 7.42

3 1981 159.46 14.45 9.19

4 1991 217.61 18.71 11.03

5 2001 285.36 22.43 13.21

Source: 1. Census of India, Various Issues; 2.Urban Statistics, TCPO, Sep 2005.

It is evident from the above figure (Fig: 4.1.1) that about 3/5th of

the total urban population of West Bengal state is still confined to

Kolkata itself. It may be due to the concentration of big, medium and

small industrial units and the employment opportunities for skilled,

semi-skilled and unskilled workers in service, industrial and informal

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sectors in and around Kolkata. The other reasons behind the high

concentration of population is due to the availability of infrastructure

facilities especially health, education and other linked facilities.

4.2 POPULATION TRENDS OF KOLKATA (growth, distribution,

density):

As of 2011, Kolkata city had a population of 4486679, while the

urban agglomeration had a population of 13,216,546(2001). The sex

ratio is 899 females per 1000 males (2011), which are lower than the

national average, because many working males come from rural areas,

where they leave behind their families. Kolkata’s literacy rate of 81%

exceeds the all- India average of 80%. Kolkata Municipal Corporation

area has registered a growth rate of 4.1%, which is the lowest among

the million- plus cities in India. Bengalis comprise the majority of

Kolkata’s population (55%), with other communities forming a large

portion of the minorities (20%). Major languages spoken in Kolkata are

Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, English, Oriya and Bhojpuri.

4.2.1 Growth and Distribution of Population:

The 1951 Census first reported about Calcutta Conurbation. It

encompasses industrial area on the Hooghly side, which is quite

distinct in terms of demography, economic condition, industrial

development and geographical unity. It covers an area of 425 sq.km.

Out of this, the core cities of Kolkata and Howrah occupied 92 sq.km.

and 26 sq.km. respectively. In 2011 Census per km2 the density of

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population was 242, 52 persons which was just 10,085 persons in

1941. Within the last seven decades (1951-1991), the Calcutta

Conurbation has expanded tremendously in spatial, demographic and

socio- economic dimensions. In 2011, Census the conurbation of

Kolkata has a population o 44, 86679. Its position is second after

Mumbai in India. This has been achieved through the following

processes:

a) Accretion of Urban settlement, industrial development and

residential suburbs due to massive concentration of non-

agricultural works;

b) Municipal take over of neighboring settled areas;

c) The expansions of transport network from the central core upto

the peripheral areas. This brings a large volume of commuters to

the conurbation everyday; and

d) The rapid growths of population density, heavy influx o migrants,

industrial laborers and displaced persons from Bangladesh have

worsened the situation enormously

Table-4.2 reflects the total population and its decennial growth

rates for the years: 1961-2011 in the city of Kolkata. It is seen that

population growth rate in the year 1961 was high compared to in the

years 1971 and 1981. However, the growth rate again reached its

highest in the year 1991 and then continued to reduce. The continuous

population growth of the city since independence is stated as follows.

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With the influx of refugees after independence from the then East

Pakistan and migrants from the neighboring states and districts,

Kolkata witnesses a substantial increase of population in and around

the city particularly in its peripheral areas. A group of municipal towns

(39 numbers) which have encircled the city over time have actually

turned the erstwhile isolated town of Kolkata, to a large urban

agglomeration. In fact, economic as well as social factors have

contributed much for the expansion of the city over a period. Spatial

expansion may be attributed to pull forces, which gradually

transformed the surrounding rural settlements to new town areas and

emergence of Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA).

Table: 4.2: POPULATION, DECENNIAL GROWTH RATE OR 1961-

2011 IN KOLKATA:

PopulationSl.No

YearsTotal Male Female

DecinnialGrowth Rate(%)

1 1961 2927298 1815791 1111498 +8.48

2 1971 3148746 1924505 1224241 +7.57

3 1981 3305006 1930320 1374686 +4.96

4 1991 4399819 +33.12

5 2001 45728976 2500040 2072836 +3.93

6 2011 4486679 2362662 2124017 -1.88

SOURCE: (a) Census of India, W.B., Kolkata (1961-20O1); (b) ProvisionalPopulation Totals, W.B (2011).

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Fig:4.2

The Total Population in Kolkata(1961-2011)

0

1000000

2000000

3000000

4000000

5000000

1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Years

Fig: 4.2.1

The Deccinial Growth Rate of Population In

Kolkata(1961-2011)

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Years

In 2001, Kolkata UA stood at the second position among the

mega cities as indicated in Table 4.3:

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TABLE: 4.3: TOTAL POPULATION AND GROWTH OF MEGA CITIES

IN INDIA:

Population (Lakh)Annual Exponential

Growth Rate (%)No Cities

1981 1991 20011981-1991

1991-2001

1 GreaterMumbai

82.43 125.96 163.68 4.22 2.62

2 Kolkata 91.94 110.22 132.17 1.72 1.82

3 Delhi 57.29 84.19 127.91 3.80 4.18

4 Bangalore 29.22 41.30 56.86 3.36 3.20

5 Chennai 42.89 54.21 64.25 2.23 1.70

6 Hyderabad 25.46 43.44 55.33 5.20 2.42

7 Ahmadabad 25.48 33.12 45.19 2.58 3.11

Source: Handbook of Urbanization in India by K.C.Sivaramakrishna, Amitabh Kundu & B.N.Singh, 2005.

Most of the mega cites showed growth in the peripheral areas or

outskirts of the city because majority of the people cannot afford to stay

in the core or main areas of the cities due to high cost of living. In

peripheral or outskirts of the mega cities small, medium and large level

industrial units are concentrated which provide large number of

employment opportunities. Moreover, the people in these peripheral

areas also avail of most of the facilities that are enjoyed by the people

staying in the core areas of the city. Most of the4 mega cities in India

are multi municipal corporations such as agglomerations comprise a

large city in the core with smaller urban areas in the periphery.

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Development of mega cities in terms of growth tendencies of population

in core and peripheral areas are mentioned in Table-4.4.

TABLE-4.4: GROWTH TENDENCIES IN THE MEGA CITIES OF INDIA

1981-1991 1991-2001Sl.No

CitiesCore Periphery Core Periphery

1 GreaterMumbai

1.86 4.22 1.82 2.62

2 Kolkata 0.64 1.72 0.40 1.82

3 Delhi 3.59 3.80 3.09 4.18

4 Chennai 1.59 2.23 0.93 1.70

5 Bangalore 0.71 3.36 4.79 3.20

6 Hyderabad 3.31 5.20 1.58 2.42

SOURCE: Handbook of Urbanization in India by K.C.Sivaramakrishna, Amitabh

Kundu & B.N.Singh, 2005.

It may be inferred from Table-4.4, that intra urban agglomeration

of large mega cities indicates that within the area of large metropolitan

cities in India mainly Greater Mumbai, Kolkata Delhi and Chennai have

recorded a fast growth in periphery areas than the core main areas.

Huge population facing the problems of lack of infrastructure and other

basic amenities may have degenerated the capacity of the core areas of

these cities to absorb the net increase in population, which in fact finds

place in and around the core main city indicating a faster growth rate

of urban agglomeration. On the other hand, Bangalore has a reverse

trend that is core areas of the city is growing faster than the peripheral

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areas of the city during 1991-2001. This may be due to the

concentration of people in the main city areas through the higher

purchasing power of the new immigrants especially in information

technology enabled services sectors working in the Great Silicon Valley

of India.

4.2.2 Density of Population:

Density of population is another important indicator for an

analyzing the pace of development. West Bengal is densely populated

state in India with 904 persons per sq km in 2001 and 1029 persons

per sq km in 2011. The density of Kolkata was 24718 persons per sq

km in 2001 and 24252 persons per sq km in 2011.

Table: 4.5: DENSITY OF POPULATION IN KOLKATA AND WEST

BENGAL (1951-2011):

Density(Persons/Sq Km)Years

Kolkata West Bengal

1951 5180 296

1961 28434 394

1971 30276 499

1981 31779 614

1991 23783 767

2001 24718 904

2011 24252 1029

Source : Census of W.B. (1951-2001) and Provisional Population Totals (2011).

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Fig:4.3:

Density of Population(persons/sq.kms) in Kolkata

during 1951-2011

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Fig:4.3.1:

Density of Population( persons/sq km) in West

Bengal 1951-2011

Source: Census of West Bengal (1951-2011) & Provisional Population Totals,W.B, 2011.

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Table 4.5 depicts the population density in Kolkata and West

Bengal during the years 1951-2011.

In Kolkata, the highest density of population was observed in the

year 1981, then it reduced continuously in the following years but

again in the year 2001, the density increased and thereafter reduced in

2011.( fig: 4.3). In West Bengal, the density has followed an increasing

trend, with 296 persons per sq.km in 1951 to 1029 persons per sq.km

in 2011 (fig: 4.3.1).

Kolkata UA includes 99 constituents from Kolkata, Nadia, North

24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Hughli and Haora districts as

indicated in Table 4.6.

TABLE: 4.6: CONSTITUENTS OF KOLKATA UA- 2001:

Sl.No.

DistrictsNo. of

Cities/TownsPopulation

% of Total Population

1 Kolkata 1 4580546 34.67

2 Nadia 2 140551 1.06

3 North 24 Parganas 32 4320317 23.72

4 Hughli 23 1312425 9.95

5 Haora 33 1962097 14.86

6 South 24 Parganas 8 889761 6.74

Total 99 13205697 100

Source: Statistical Abstract, 2002-03, Bureau of Applied Economics andStatistics, Govt. W.

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Fig: 4.4:

Constituents of Kolkata UA-2001

34.67%

1.06%

32.72%

9.95%

14.86%

6.74%

Kolkata Nadia N.24 Parganas Hughli Haora S.24 Parganas

Kolkata district is urban and forms part of Kolkata Municipal

Corporation. It contains 1/3rd of population of Kolkata and another

1/3rd population of Kolkata is from North 24 Parganas followed by 15%

from Haora, 10% from Hughli, 7% from South 24 Parganas and 1%

from Nadia(fig: 4.4).

4.3 SEX RATIO:

Sex- ratio is defined as the number of females per 1000 males in

the population. According to the observation of UN-Population Division,

all over the World, the male population is more than the female

population i.e., there were 927 females per 1000 males in 1990. Sex-

ratio is considered as one of the important demographic factor that

explains the balance between numbers of females for 1000 males. It is

always required to know the demographic characteristic of a region.

Average sex- ratio of India is 933 females for 1000 males in 2001.

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TABLE-4.7: SEX-RATIO IN WEST BENGAL AND KOLKATA (1951-

2011).

Sex-Ratio (Females/1000 Males)Years

West Bengal (W.B.) Kolkata

1951 865 660

1961 878 701

1971 891 751

1981 911 819

1991 917 858

2001 934 893

2011 947 899

Fig: 4.5:

Sex-Ratio in West Bengal & Kolkata(1951-2011)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Years

WB KOLKATA

Source: Census of West Bengal (1951-2001)/ Provisional Population Totals, 2011.

The Fig-4.5 depicts a comparison between the Sex ratio in West

Bengal and Kolkata for the Census years (1951-2011). The Sex ratio in

the year 2011 (947 females/1000 males) in West Bengal and (899

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females/1000 males) in Kolkata and lowest in the year 1951 (865

females/1000 males) in West Bengal and (660 females/1000 males) in

Kolkata.

TABLE-4.7.1: CHILD SEX RATIO (NO.OF FEMALES/1000MALES) IN

WEST BENGAL AND KOLKATA, 1991 & 2001:

State/City 1991 2001

West Bengal 967 960

Kolkata 955 927

Source: Census of India (1991-2001).

Table: 4.7.1 indicates the Child Sex ratio for West Bengal and

Kolkata for the years 1991 and 2001. It can be estimated from the data

given that the child Sex ratio has declined in the year 2001 as

compared to 1991 for both West Bengal and Kolkata. This is mainly

due to more rates of female infanticide.

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TABLE-4.7.2: AGE-SEX DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION FOR KUA

(2001)

Kolkata Urban Agglomeration (KUA)Age- Group

Male Female Persons

0-04 7.2306 8.2921 7.7121

05-14 18.9119 21.2245 19.9608

15-19 9.4475 10.0020 9.6990

20-24 9.7772 10.0321 9.8928

25-29 9.2832 10.1004 9.6539

30-34 8.5715 8.5590 8.5658

35-39 8.3780 7.7499 8.0931

40-49 13.2229 10.3481 11.9189

50-59 8.2053 6.6165 7.4846

60-69 4.3675 4.2515 4.3148

70-79 1.8680 1.9061 1.8853

80+ 0.7364 0.9181 0.8188

Total 100 100 100

Source: Census of West Bengal (2001).

Table: 4.7.2 shows the age- sex distribution of KUA for the year

2001. From the given data, it can be analyzed that the population is

more in the age group 05-14 years and 40-49 years for both male and

female. The least population is observed in the age group of 81+. Thus,

it can be said that the dependent population is more in Kolkata than

the working population, which creates an imbalance in the economic

structure of the city.

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4.4 RELIGION:

Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems and

worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality

and, sometimes to moral values. Many religions have narratives,

symbols, tradition and sacred histories that are intended to give

meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend

to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from

their ideas about the cosmos and human nature. Religion plays a

fundamental role in bestowing meaning and significance on human

existence. It marks off what is special and true, provides order and

structure and sets forth the projects and goals for humanity. Religion

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pertains to the most significant of human concerns, the concern to

which all others are inferior. We might suggest that each religious

tradition has its own ultimate concern or is it possible that there is just

one object of concern to which all traditions are truly directed?

Kolkata Religion:

Being a cosmopolitan city, Kolkata represents a blend of different

religions. Majority of people inhabiting in Kolkata are Hindus. Muslims

are in minority. Other minority

communities include Christians,

Buddhist, Sikhs and Jains. On the

basis of religious sects, Hindus can

be further classified into a number

of categories ranging from

monotheists to polytheists. The

largest religious sect follows

Vaisnavisim. In the traditional caste

hierarchy, the highest position is

held by the Brahmins, the next caste in order of precedence is that of

Vaidyas followed by

Kshatriyas and Sudras.

Bengalis consist of the

majority of Kolkata’s

population, with Marwari’s

and Bihari communities

forming a large portion of

St. Pauls Cathedral Church

Dakhineswar Kali Temple

Pic. No.15

Pic. No.16

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the minorities. Besides, there are some of Kolkata’s notable

communities including Chinese, Tamils, Anglo-Indians, Armenians,

Tibetans, Maharastrians and Parses. Major language spoken in

Kolkata is Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, English, Maithili and Bhojpuri.

As, 2001 Census measures; 77.68% of the population in Kolkata

is Hindu; 20.27% is Muslims; 0.88% is Christians. Other minorities

such as Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews and Zoroastrians constitute the rest of

the city’s population (1.17%). Table 4.8 and Figure 4.6 depicts the

above given information.

TABLE: 4.8: RELIGIOUS POPULATION IN KOLKATA (1991& 2001):

1991 2001

ReligionPopulation

(No)% to total Population

Population(No)

%to total Population

Hindus 3546431 80.60 3552274 77.68

Muslims 779433 17.72 926769 20.27

Christians 38155 0.87 40218 0.88

Sikhs 15786 0.36 15599 0.34

Buddhists 6171 0.14 6445 0.14

Jain 13053 0.30 20859 0.45

Others 790 0.01 2179 0.05

Religion not stated - - 8533 0.19

Total 4399819 100.00 4572876 100.00

Source: Census of India, 2001

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TABLE: 4.8.1: POPULATION BY RELIGION AND BY SEX IN

KOLKATA (2001):

Religion Male Female Total (No)

Hindus 1918388 1633886 3552274

Muslims 533005 39364 92669

Christians 19686 20532 40218

Sikhs 8595 7004 15599

Buddhists 3434 3011 6445

Jains 10690 10169 20859

Others 1211 968 2179

Religion not stated 5031 3502 8533

All communities 2500040 202836 452876

Source: Census of India, 2001.

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Table-4.8.1 reflects the male-female religion statistics for Kolkata

in the Census year of 2001. From the above table it can be clearly

stated that male population dominates in all the religion types with a

high number of population except for Christianity, where the female

population is more than the male population.

4.5 LITERACY:

Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for

knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.

As per Census 2011 (provisional data), West Bengal has a literacy rate

of 77.08%. The literacy rate in Bengal has grown from 68.64% in 2001

to 77.08% in 2011. Kolkata has a literacy of 75.58% in

2011(provisional data). It has increased 9.45% in 10 years.

According to the 2001 Census, around 4/5th of the country’s

districts do better than Kolkata in reducing illiteracy, in the past

decade. Over the last 10 years, Kolkata rank among the country’s 593

districts has fallen from 31 to 46 on the literacy scale, according to

2001 Census. The figures suggest that around 4/5th of the country’s

districts posted better results than Kolkata in reducing illiteracy during

the past decade. The city’s literacy rate grew from 77.61% to 81.31%.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation area lags far behind other towns in

Bengal. It ranks 70 in the list of 120 municipal towns and

municipalities. “The literacy campaign in the city was never strong

compared with the district. In the late 90’s, a committee was set

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up to evaluate the impact of the literacy campaign, but it

couldn’t function due to the Government’s inefficiency”, says an

educationist. The contribution of women to the city’s literacy figures,

however, deserves mention. With a literacy rate of 84.07%, the city’s

men had an all- India rank of 134, while women, with 77.95% claimed

the 29th position. Experts say that reducing illiteracy in densely

populated urban centers, which have a high presence of migrant daily-

wage earners and domestic help, is difficult. However, they also point

out that campaigns can be worked out to suit the situation. Kerala has

shown us how to address illiteracy in urban areas, says Raghabendra

Chattopadhyay of the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. Seven

districts in Kerala feature among the top 10 literate districts. In 1999,

Chattopadhyay headed a study commissioned by the State Government

and UNICEF on elementary education in Bengal. The identified gaps in

delivering system and questioned official estimates of enrolment and

dropout rates in schools, after studying 72 urban blocks and 106

villages. The findings were not published. The reasons for Kolkata’s

poor performance are: the city has a high population density. Besides,

hundreds and thousands of working-class people, mostly illiterates,

from neighboring states, are constantly coming to Kolkata. Therefore,

despite a record increase in the number of school-going students in the

past two decades, we suffer in terms of literacy rates. According to

Rajib Sinha of UNICEF, 10 to 15% of children in the city belong to the

‘difficult-to-reach’ category. “A survey in 2001 found over 30,000

children in the city not going to school. When we started about 450

Chapter-IV


schools under Sikshalaya Prakalpa, only 22,000 registered”, he added.

Between 1991-2001, 15212360 persons i.e. 18.96% of the state’s

population became literate.

The average literacy rate of Kolkata district is 87.14% (2011)

and 80.86% (2001). Male literacy rate in Kolkata is 89.08% (2011) and

83.79 %( 2001). Female literacy rate in Kolkata is 84.98% (2011) and

77.30% (2001).

The total literates in Kolkata district are 3,648,210 people

(2011) and 3,382,103 people (2001). Male literates in Kolkata are

1966122 (2011) and 1925008 (2001). Female literates in Kolkata are

1682088 (2011) and 1457095 (2001).

[* All data’s as per provisional data of population Census, 2011].

TABLE-4.9: PERCENTAGE OF LITERACY RATES IN KOLKATA AND

WEST BENGAL (1951-2011):

West Bengal (%) Kolkata (%)Years

Total Male Female Total Male Female

1951 24.95 34.65 13.18 52.98 55.52 47.91

1961 34.46 46.57 20.27 64.98 68.51 58.95

1971 38.86 49.57 26.56 65.50 68.67 60.34

1981 46.32 57.04 34.43 74.14 78.09 68.45

1991 57.70 67.81 46.56 77.61 81.94 72.09

2001 68.64 77.02 59.61 80.86 83.79 77.30

2011 77.08 82.67 71.16 87.14 89.08 84.98

Chapter-IV


Source: Census of West Bengal (1951-2001) / Provisional Population Totals (2011).

Figure: 4.7 depict the total percentage of literacy rates in West

Bengal and Kolkata district. A comparative analysis has been shown

with the help of the line graphs to study the changes over the decades

in the literacy rates for West Bengal and Kolkata. Both the graphs for

West Bengal and Kolkata shows a rising trend in literacy levels, which

clearly states that there is a positive growth in the literacy rates which

is due to the increase in different literacy awareness campaigns and an

urge for education.

Figure: 4.7.1 & 4.7.2: below shows, the male-female literacy

rates in percentage of West Bengal and Kolkata. It is seen for the

figures that the male literacy levels are higher than the female literacy

levels for West Bengal and Kolkata though the male-female difference in

literacy is higher for West Bengal compared to Kolkata. This is due to

Chapter-IV


the male dominated Indian society and the conservative nature of the

people. However, from the year 2001 onwards, there has been a steady

increase in the female literacy rates with more girls being educated.

Fig.4.7.1:

Male and Female Literacy Rates (In %) for

West Bengal (1951-2011)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Years

Male Female

Fig.4.7.2:

Male and Female Literacy Rates (In %) for

Kolkata (1951-2011)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Years

Male Female

Source : Census of W.B. (1951-2001) and Provisional Population Totals (2011)

Chapter-IV


Kolkata as an Educational Destination:

“Education is the manifestation of the perfectionalready in man”.

- Swami Vivekananda.

The cradle of modern education in India, Kolkata is the

birthplace of geniuses like Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Keshab

Chandra Sen., whose names have been imprinted in the history of

Indian Education forever. With literacy rate of 80.86% the city is the

home to some of the most reputed names in the field of education. The

cosmopolitan culture of the city finds a reflection in the various

systems of education like the I.C.S.E., C.B.S.E., W.B.H.S.E. (W.B Board

of Higher Secondary Education.) and the Islamic Madrashas. A large

number of schools in Kolkata impart primary and high school

education to the students under these educational systems.

Looking Back:

In the early days, education in Kolkata was imparted to students

in the vernacular language Bangla and Sanskrit. However, with the

advent of British Imperialism, the story took a new turn. It is

interesting to note here that the concept of western education was

brought forth with a view to accelerate their interests. The advent of

education welcomed with certain apprehensions, which were later

cleared out with the help of great scholars and reformists like Ram

Mohon Roy and Vidyasagar.

Chapter-IV


Role and Responsibility of the Government:

Educational scenario in Kolkata has improved leaps and bounds

with important initiatives from the government of West Bengal. It has

taken significant steps in educating one and all. Schools offering free

elementary education to the children belonging to the lower economic

classes to take care of other needs of the children like food and

clothing. They provide the students with midday meals and school

dresses.

Today and Tomorrow:

While the steps taken by the government has ensured secure

educational years for the students in the city at present, their future is

also no less bright. Future trends of education in Kolkata hint a bent

towards a simpler format keeping in mind the American system of

school education.

Chapter-IV


4.6 MIGRATION :

Kolkata has long been a paradise for the migrants. Since 19th

century, when Kolkata was the capital of India, it was known to have

drawn scores of thousands of migrants, both from adjoining districts of

Bengal as well as from far-flung states of Bihar, Orissa, Assam and

Uttar Pradesh. It was the main nerve centre of India during British

Colonial rule till 1911, when the capital shifted to New Delhi. Most of

the migrants were single males, who had left their family behind in the

villages. This happened due to extreme housing shortages. Most of the

long-distance migrants from northern India came to work in the factory

employment in jute, textile, hosiery, iron and steel, paper and other

industries. Most of these migrants were huddled into slums or bustees.

Recently, net migration to Kolkata has reduced. The planners are

concerned with the backlog of accumulated problems of migrants. The

CMDA contains about 82% of West Bengal’s total industrial units and

generates about 88% of total employment. So, Kolkata demonstrates

considerable polarization of resources, population, income, industrial

units and factory employment. Kolkata is a typical example of the

phenomena of poverty-induced migration and urban involution- as well

as of concentration and polarization of investments and industries.

However, industrial stagnation of Kolkata has been continuing since

last two decades, and net migration to this city has been much less.

Consequently, Kolkata is growing slowly, and West Bengal is also

urbanizing slowly. The situations of migrants are precarious, as will be

revealed by the following migration table:

Chapter-IV


TABLE: 4.10: MIGRANTS TO KOLKATA CITY DURING 1921-1991:

YearTotal Population

(Lakh)

MigrantPopulation

(Lakh)

%of

Migrants

1921 10.31 3.25 31.52

1931 11.41 3.57 31.29

1941 21.09 6.64 31.48

1951 25.49 13.45 52.76

1961 29.14 7.58 26.01

1971 31.36 10.62 33.86

1981 33.05 9.28 28.08

1991 33.80 7.12 21.06

Source: Census of Kolkata, 1921-1991.

The above Table: 4.10: reflects the picture of migrants to Kolkata

city during the Census years of 1921-1991. The total number of

migrant population had steadily increased from 1921-1951, with the

highest number of 52.76% (1951). This is mainly due to the influx of

huge number of people from Bangladesh and Pakistan due to political

instability. Then from 1961 onwards, the migrant population took a

decreasing trend due to the backlog in the industrial development in

the city. The given Figure: 4.8: below depicts the above given

information.

Chapter-IV


Fig.4.8:

Percentage of Migrant Population to Kolkata City (1921-1991)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991

Year

INTER-STATE MIGRATION TO KOLKATA (according to birthplace

statistics, 2001):

About 325,663 people migrated to Kolkata from other states. Of

these, the largest number of migrants came from Bihar (178,083 or

55%), followed by Uttar Pradesh (57,800 or 18%) and adjoining Orissa

(22,160 or 7%). Besides substantial number of migrants also came from

Rajasthan (14,140 or 4.3%). Such migration flows testify that Kolkata

has still been the one of the main attraction centers for the migrants

from various parts of the country.

MIGRATION INTO URBAN AGGLOMERATION (2001):

2001 Census data also presents migration data by last residence

for each Urban Agglomeration (UA) and city in the country, allowing

specific examination. The inflow of migrants depends upon the size of

Chapter-IV


the UA / City as in large UAs and Cities the availability of

work/employment is greater. However, in terms of amenities and

services, in-migration causes a severe pressure, as these are not

commensurate to high growth in population.

Table: 4.11: below provides a comparison of migrants by last

residence during last 10 years into important UAs and their share to

total UA population, thus providing an insight in to the fast pace in

which the migration is taking place in these centers.

TABLE: 4.11: NUMBER OF IN-MIGRANTS BY LAST RESIDENCE

(duration 0-9 years) INTO IMPORTANT URBAN AGGLOMERATION

(UA)- 2001:

In-Migrants

Name of UA2001

Population

India(urban)

286119689 2497437 11157574 348060 36480006 12.7

GreaterMumbai,UA

16434386 892706 1571181 25665 2489552 15.1

Delhi UA 12877470 77663 1988314 46386 2112363 16.4

Chennai UA 6560242 334972 94964 5684 435620 6.6

Kolkata UA 13205697 470601 297279 54509 822389 6.2

HyderabadUA

5742036 407861 88216 2406 498483 8.7

BangaloreUA

5701446 401932 353156 6397 761485 13.4

Source: Census of India, 2001.

Chapter-IV


Total number of in-migrants during the last 10 years is largest in

Greater Mumbai UA, the main component being those who are coming

from outside the state. Delhi UA on the other hand received 1.9 million

migrants from other states, the largest among the UAs shown above.

Kolkata UA is important as it received 54509 persons from other

countries, most likely Bangladesh. Bangalore UA, which received 0.3

million in-migrants from other states is due to growing opportunity in

IT Sector. The percentage of total in-migrants was toped by Delhi UA

(16.4%), followed by Greater Mumbai UA (15.1%) and Bangalore UA

(13.4%).

TABLE: 4.12: DISTRIBUTION OF MIGRANTS ACCORDING TO

DURATION OF RESIDENCE IN KOLKATA, 2001:

KUADuration ofResidence Male Female

Total

Less than 1 year17050

(1.23%)

17123

(1.38%)

34173

(1.31%)

1-4 years16744

(12.15%)

176398

(14.27%)

344142

(13.15%)

5-9 years162790

(11.79%)

173905

(14.17%)

336695

(12.86)

10 years and above

909478

(65.85%)

778366

(62.95%)

1687844(64.48%)

Period not stated124095

(8.98%)

90677

(7.33%)

214772

(8.2%)

All duration712617

(100)

138115

(100)

2617626

(100)

Source : Census of West Bengal, 2002.

Chapter-IV


Table: 4.12: classifies the total migrants in Kolkata UA according

to duration of residence. Almost more than 64% in KUA resides there

for 10 years or more. 26% in KUA resides there for 1-9 years and only

around 1% has came to their present place of residence less than a

year ago. The possible reasons could be, for the males the economic

motives are still the most supreme reasons for migration; whereas for

the females, familial or marriage migration are still very important.

Indeed, the patterns have not changed over time, in spite of the so-

called recent economic progress in Indian Metropolises.

Fig.4.9:

Total Distribution of Migrants According to Duration of

Residence in Kolkata, 2001

1.3113.15

12.86

64.48

8.20

Less than 1 year 1-4 years 5-9 years 10 years and above Period not stated

Source: Census of West Bengal, 2001.

Figure: 4.9: illustrates the above given explanation in table 5.2.

It shows the total percentage distribution of the duration of residence in

Kolkata for the Census year, 2001 .

Chapter-IV


4.7 OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE :

An economically productive pursuit is conceived here as an

occupation and as such there can be many occupations. The

composition of working force of population is of major importance for

several economic and social characteristics of the population, more or

less depending on it. Occupational composition is an important index

to throw light upon the composition of dynamic health and vigor of a

region. However, studies concerned with occupational pattern

especially in India, have attained a great significance only in recent

time. Such studies can give the spatial relationship between various

occupations and the resultant spatial interaction within a regional

framework. The occupational pattern of population has been classified

into 3 broad categories, namely, the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary.

The operational structure of occupational pattern of the above-

mentioned 3 major occupational components of working population as

it forms the core of the economic system of the study area.

The liberalization of the Indian Economy in the 1990’s has

resulted in the improvement of the city’s fortune. Until recently, flexible

production had always been the norm in Kolkata and the informal

sector has comprised more than 40% of the labor force. For example,

roadside hawkers generated business worth Rs. 8772 crore (around 2

billion U.S. dollars) in 2005. State and Federal government employees

make up a large percentage of the city’s workforce. The city has a large

Chapter-IV


unskilled and semi-skilled labor population, along with other blue-

collar and knowledge workers. The large segment of population is poor

and vulnerable. These sections mostly derive their income from work of

the laundering, house cleaning, sweeping, plastic salvaging, plumbing,

furniture making, electrical wing, TV repair, masonry, messaging,

hawking, rickshaw pulling, hair design, music and art, tailoring,

leather work, shoe making and food selling. Thus, strengthening the

informal section of the economy.

TABLE: 4.13: DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION ACCORDING TO

DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF WORKERS AND NON-WORKERS BY

SEX IN KOLKATA, 2001:

NumberCategory

Male Female Total

% To Total Population

A) Total Workers

1. Main Workers 1388550 235229 1623779 35.5

2.Marginal Workers 62998 30957 93955 2.1

B) Non-Workers 1048492 1806650 2855142 62.4

Total Population(A+B) 2500040 2072836 4572876 100


Figure: 4.11: depicts the distribution of population according to

different categories of workers and non-workers by sex in Kolkata as

per the 2001 census data. It is observed that the numbers of male

workers are more than the female workers, where as for non-workers

category the female population exceeds the male population. It is also

seen that the percentage of non-working group is more than the

Chapter-IV


working population, i.e. (62.4%-non-workers and 37.6%-tota workers).

From the above picture it can be thus analyzed, that in Kolkata, the

dependent population is more than the working population, which in

turn creates an imbalance in the economy.

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

Male Female Total

Workers

Fig.4.10:

Distribution of Workers and Non-workers in Kolkata, 2001

Main Workers

Marginal Workers

Non-Workers


Kolkata has adequate literally and educationally qualified work

force, high quality of life index, world-class communication network,

foreign technology transfer, higher level of equity participation and

offshore sourcing. These activities have a direct positive impact on the

economy of West Bengal especially in Kolkata being the capital. Work

participation rate is one of the main indicators for measuring the level

of development. Work participation ratio of Kolkata UA during the last

four decades is presented in table 5.4:

Chapter-IV


TABLE: 4.14: POPULATION, WORKERS AND WORK PARTICIPATION

RATE (WPR) OF KOLKATA UA, (1971-2001):

Sl.No.

Years Population (No) Workers(No) Wpr(%)

1 1971 7031382 2286147 32.5

2 1981 9194018 2830443 30.8

3 1991 11021918 3367209 30.6

4 2001 13205697 4589109 34.8

Source:

1) Economic Reforms & Employment Growth in India, TCPO, Ministry of UrbanDevp, Govt. of India, 2005.

2) Urban Statistics, TCPO, Ministry of Urban Devp, Govt. of India, 2005.

It can be analyzed from the Table: 4.14 that the WPR of Kolkata,

has been steadily increasing which clearly indicates that the

dependency burden of the working class is reducing gradually that will

lead to a positive growth of the economic structure of the city heading

towards a balanced economic and financial growth.

Chapter-IV


TABLE: 4.15: SECTOR-WISE DISTRIBUTION OF WORKERS IN

KOLKATA DISTRICT, 2001:

SectorsMale(No)

Female(No)

Total(No)

% To Total

Workers

A) Primary:

1.Cultivators 3758 2618 6376 0.4

2.Agricultural laborers 3278 1100 4378 0.2

B) Secondary:

1.Household Industry Workers 40816 11727 52543 3.1

C) Tertiary:

1. Other Workers 1403696 250741 1654437 96.3

Source: Census of West Bengal, 2001

Fig: 5.1:Sector-Wise Distribution of Workers in Kolkata District, 2001

1%3%

96%

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

TERTIARY

Chapter-IV


Figure: 4.12: depicts the sector wise distribution of workers in

Kolkata district as per the 2001 census. The occupational structure for

any country or district is described and analyzed by means of various

classificatory schemes, which group similar occupations together

according to specific criteria such as skills, employment status or

function. Such classification are also used as a basis for the empirical

analysis of economic and social class. On the basis of such description,

the occupational structure of Kolkata is categorized on 3 different

types:

1. Primary Sector (includes cultivation and agricultural laborers)

2. Secondary Sector (includes household industrial workers) and

3. Tertiary Sector (includes other workers).

The figure drawn above simplifies the same. It is observed that

the number of workers in the primary sector is least (10754) followed

by secondary (52543) and highest for tertiary (1654437). This is due to

the fact that Kolkata is entirely urban unit, which dominates in

industry and other non agricultural occupations.

Chapter-IV


Chapter-IV References :

Bose Ashish : Population of India : 2001 Census Results and

Methodology (2001).

Census Beurae (USA): Trend of Growth in Population of the World.

Census of India, 2011 (Provisional Population Total) (Kolkata, W.B.).

Chandna: Geography of Population (Rep.2009).

Economic Reforms and Employment Growth in India, TCPO, Ministry of

Urban Development, Government of India, 2005.

Graham : Population Geography (2005).

Hassan : Population Geography (2005).

Mukherje, S., Migration, Urban Economic Structure, and Polarized

Investment in India.

Mukherji : Migration and Urban Decay (2006).

Mukherjii, S., Migration and Urbanization in Kolkata.

Population Census Data Report- 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991 &

2001.Census of India-PDF data on houses, households,

amenities and assets (1991& 2001). Govt. of West Bengal.

Shanker (URVIJA) : Population Pattern and Urban Development.

Shivarama, K.C., Krishnan, Handbook of Urbanization in India,

Amitabh Kundu & B.N. Singh, 2005.

Urban Statistics, TCPO, September 2005.

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