The reality of urbanisation is reflected in the improvement in quality of life , in terms of availability of water and sanitation , power , health and education. The view about the process if urbanisation in developing countries is negative because it brings environmental degradation, growth of slums , unemployment and poverty. The popular view of towns and cities of urbanisation is that despite the benefits and comforts it brings, the emergence of such cities connotes environmental degradation, urban poverty, lawlessness, traffic chaos etc.
But what is the reality ? given the unprecedented increase in urban population in the developing countries, the wonder really is how well the world has coped and not how badly. In general the urban quality of life has been improved in terms of availability of water and sanitation, power ,health and education, communication and transport. By way of illustration a large number of urban residents have been provided with improved water in urban areas in Asia’s largest countries. Despite that, the access to improved water in terms of percentage of total urban population seems to have declined during the last decade, though in absolute number. Millions of additional urbanities, have been provided improved services. These countries have made significant progress in the provisions of sanitation service too, together, providing for an additional population of more than293 million citizens within a decade. These improvements must be viewed against the backdrop of rapidly increasing urban population, fiscal crunch and strained human resources and efficient and quality oriented public management.
