The state of our cities: Evidence from Karnataka by Samuel Paul, Kala Seetharam Sridhar, A Venugopala Reddy and Pavan Srinath, New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2012, pp.297, ? 765.00

Abstract

There is a fairly widespread recognition that we are moving towards a rapid process of urbanization. Issues of development and poverty that was once focused in the rural areas is now finding increasing importance in the urban context and setting. The need to make informed decisions and customize interventions to the areas where such interventions are needed depends heavily on the quality of data. One of the aspects that we constantly lament about is the non-availability of meaningful data either for research or for policy making. In this context, this is a very important book. It is important because it recognizes the gap that an academic always encounters; it tries to fill in the gap and offers a template of a database that could be built up over a period of time across all the habitations – not necessarily cities. It will be particularly useful in not only preparing master plans for the habitations, but it will help the local administration to prepare and plan for civic amenities. The book opens by making a case for itself and also detailing the methodology of collection of data............