PLANNING FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT OF PUDUCHERRY REGION, INDIA

Abstract

Integrated development plan at micro level planning takes in to account the essential needs of the local people, and arrive at policies for judicious use of the locally available resources. A successful micro level plan relies upon the key-planning tool, such as, systems analysis, operation, research, statistics, socio-economic evaluation and infrastructure system. An urban system comprises of several interacting subsystems, such as physical, social, economic, ecology, environment, infrastructure, and institutions. All these subsystems are interlinked and interdependent to each other functioning as a whole. All the subsystems, comprising the urban system are inextricably linked since they not only are interconnected but also are interdependent on each other. The Investigator has made an attempt to understand the physical, socio-economic and environmental conditions, level of infrastructure facilities, which exists in the system at grassroots level. To understand the real functions of the study area at the grassroots level, survey research techniques have been employed to conduct the investigation. The most important infrastructure services, which decide the functions in a particular system, such as housing, health, education and power were considered along with population and population growth in the system. An attempt was made to identify the control parameters, which decide the functions of the system by employing correlation techniques. The functions of the system along with all the subsystem can be quantified, but because of shortage of time in Master's Thesis, the Investigator conceptualized the urban model, and established the functions through diagram. Puducherry region, one of the industrially backward State Capitals of India, was selected for the purpose of this investigation. An attempt has been made to develop conceptualized urban system model by considering various subsystems and their controlling parameters obtained from the analysis to evolve plausible policy recommendations for integrated development of the study area. Further, System theory and Polarized Regional concept have been employed in this investigation. Projections are done for the year 2031 A.D by employing suitable statistical techniques for forecasting the demand and supply of infrastructure in the system. Finally, a set of plausible policies are evolved and recommendations are made for achieving integrated development in the study area.