Urbanisation and Urban Agglomeration in Madhya Pradesh : A Census Based Spatial Analysis

The study attempts to understand the trend of urbanisation in Madhya Pradesh based on census data during 1951-2011(from independence till the last census). Growth of urban centres in the state is significant. Result shows that the number of towns in Madhya Pradesh has increased from 175 in 1951 to 476 in 2011.The growth rate of towns at state level is 272 percent. Madhya Pradesh is at acceleration stage of process of urbanisation according to 2011.Bhopal is the highly urbanised district with an urban population of 80.80 percent and Dindori is lowest urbanised district (4.6 %). The state has population of 27.30 crores an increase from figure of 6.03 crores in 2001 census. The total population growth in this decade was 20.35 percent while in previous decade it was 24.34 percent. There are 37 urban agglomeration and 86 out growths in the state according to census-2011.Number of urban agglomerations is declined in last decade (42 in 2001 and 37 in 2011). The highest growth rate of population in urban agglomeration is found in Indore followed by Bhopal. Trend of population growth for 14 municipal corporation of M.P. in 1951-2011 is that the highest growth in Indore and lowest in Khandwa.