The development of cities other than Bengaluru in the state has been impeded due to shortsighted state policies on industry and infrastructure.
What’s it about? Severe urban primacy, a measure indicating the concentration of the urban population in one or two cities, has led to inequitable development approaches in other cities. The study was conducted by Kala Seetharam Sridhar and Shivakumar Nayka from the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC).
- As per 2014 figures, Karnataka’s urban primacy stood at 9, which is the highest in the country. It indicates that Bengaluru’s population was nine times that of Mysuru, the second-biggest city in the state.
- Telangana had the next highest figure of 8.42, meaning that Hyderabad’s population was 8.42 times that of Warangal.
High expenditure, low investment: Smaller cities tend to spend more on operations and maintenance than on investment, according to the researchers who surveyed 81 companies across sectors in these cities. Poor road connectivity is one of the key logistical reasons for the high expenditure of firms.