44 Eurasian Geography and Economics, 2012, 53, No. 1, pp. 44–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.2747/1539-7216.53.1.44 Copyright © 2012 by Bellwether Publishing, Ltd. All rights reserved. Metropolitan City Growth and Management in Post-liberalized India Annapurna Shaw 1 Abstract: A noted Indian urban geographer examines the growth and management of metro- politan cities in India since the country’s economic liberalization was introduced in 1991. The author discusses the signiicant changes in urban policy that have been initiated over the last two decades, with the state diluting its presence in many sectors and inviting private capital participation in the economy. Also covered are metropolitan growth and investment patterns traced to major urban, state, and central government policies. A comparative study of two met- ropolitan areas, Kolkata and Bangalore, is used to highlight differences in governance patterns in light of local exigencies as well as globalization. Journal of Economic Literature, Classii- cation Numbers: F020, H540, J610, O180. 2 igures, 2 tables, 44 references. Key words: India, Kolkata, Bangalore, metropolitan cities, economic liberalization, city management, municipal services, urban development, urban revenues and expenditures, social indicators. INTRODUCTION I ndia began the 21st century with a relatively low level of urbanization compared to other large developing countries. With 28.7 percent of its population living in urban areas in the census year of 2001, it lagged far behind the urbanization levels of much of Latin America, Southeast and East Asia, as well as Africa. By the next census of 2011, the urban population share had increased to 31.16 percent. But despite its low level of urbanization, India has a very large urban population (around 377 million). Compared to 2001 when 37 percent of the urban population lived in 35 million-plus cities, around 42.6 percent of the urban population is concentrated today in 53 million-plus cities (Census of India, 2011). They are India’s engines of growth and also its magnets, attracting people from the surrounding countryside, smaller towns, and less dynamic regions. With higher demographic growth rates than the rest of the urban system, and experiencing considerable horizontal expansion, India’s largest cities are, however, beset with problems of inequality in access to basic municipal services as well as to critical social facilities such as schools and health care. In addition, they face environmental problems such as increasing air and noise pollution, shrinking green spaces, and congested roads. Managing them so as to increase their livability and inclusiveness and, at the same time, maintain their economic energy and cultural diversity is indeed a major challenge. This paper examines the growth and management of the million-plus cities in India, also known as metropolitan cities (Fig. 1), since economic liberalization was started in 1991. In the next section, urban policy changes that have occurred after the liberalization are briely discussed. In the last two decades, with the state reducing its presence in many sectors and inviting private-sector participation, there have been signiicant changes in urban policy. One 1 Professor, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Joka, Diamond Harbor Road, Kolkata 700104, India (ashawiimc@gmail.com).