Functional Classification of Haryana's Towns:A Regional Perspective

The process of brisk urbanization in the last few decades has been responsible for continuous increase in total urban population. It is generally agreed that the process of urban growth is highly associated with direct and indirect growth of non-primary activities. Urbanization moved at a faster pace than industrialization resulting in a direct shift from agriculture to service. Tertiary sector expanded faster than the secondary sector. The fast developing economic and social situations, favoring migration of population, conscious aspiration of social change, association between industrialization and urbanization all demand that functions of towns should be investigated. Most of the towns generally have multiple functions but all of them may not be equally important. Some of them may be very significant and others not so significant. Therefore, it becomes necessary to identify the group of significant functions which represent the functional characteristics of an area.