CONCEPT OF REGION

“Earth space can be indefinitely subdivided into segments of various sizes. When such a
segment of earth space is set off by boundaries it is known as an area. Here it is necessary
to distinguish between areas that are arbitrarily separated segments of earth space and a
special kind of area known as a region.
The essential task of planning is to bind various areas into regions into
a system in which only those inequalities remain which simply cannot
be obliterated.
Region-area larger than the community

Three locality groups

• 1. Neighborhood: A group of people experiencing social interaction with in a

localized area with one or two social institutions as the local point or means by
which the area can be identified physically is thus a neighborhood.

• 2. Community: is the first social group in modern life that approaches self
sufficiency (a group is self sufficient when it possess most of the (important) major
social institutions.

• 3. Region Use of the concept-

1. To divide the space into relatively homogeneous units 2. To further our analysis
and understanding of specific studies
• A region is identified by specified criteria, and its boundaries are determined by these
criteria.

The following categories of regions are listed:

“Single purpose” or “limited purpose”

1. “Single purpose” or “limited purpose”

regions are defined as areas of an intensive
development of a specific natural resource-a
river basin used mainly for the purpose
of irrigation is given as the most typical
example of such regions.
2. Frontier regions-
usually sparsely populated areas having rich natural resources. An intensive explosion
of these resources, creation of heavy industries and new towns are characteristic of the
development of such regions (for instance, Guyana in South America, Aswan in
Egypt. Etc). North-eastern Frontier Region. Arunachal Pradesh

3. Depressed regions-
‘Problems areas” distinguished by much lower living standards
than the country as a whole (North Eastern Brazil, South Italy, Comilla in
Bangladesh).
 4. Metropolitan regions and their
hinterland
the Capital City Region-New
Delhi.

5. Economic regions or administrative-territorial units established under a nationwide

plan of regionalization. Export zones

To conclude there is no universally acceptable methods of regionalization

Source: Compilation from 73rd & 74th CAA, State Administrative set-ups and regional planning cases in India
Regionalisation In The Context Of Indian Planning

1. Economic regions –
To achieve the maximum rate of growth in the
shortest possible time these regions have to be
demarcated on the basis of resource potentials
and existing stock of human infrastructural and
capital resources

(2) Social regions-

Social and economic dualism exists in India in a variety of forms
There is rural and urban dualism and cultural dualism manifesting
in varying educational and employment achievements
Our caste structure provides another example.
In addition there is the economic dualism between the haves and
the have-nots forming different groups.
Based these dualist factors areas can be demarcated as urban and
rural regions, socially backward ones such as tribal regions and
economically poor ones having very low per capita income
 (3) Environmental regions-
Environmentally regions can be distinguished
as those marked by environmental destruction.
those needing environmental preservation
and those having special environmental
problems
(4) Administrative regions
They are already there carved out from historical
and administrative processes in the last several
decades At present as in the past they can be
taken as units for formulation and
implementation of plans

Planning regions
There is no definite method to define their
scope
In a region for regional planning the different
regional factors interact and operate in
mutual actions and reactions and any change in
one normally leads to changes in others, thus
setting up a chain reaction
A) Regions in Regional Economics
1. Homogeneous Regions of various hues. Formal regions.
2. Nodal, polarized, heterogeneous, or functional regions.
3. Planning and Programming Regions.
B) Regions in Multi-level planning
1.Macro region
2.State region
3. Micro region
C) Regions in in the ‘stages-of-development’ analysis
1. Developed Region
2. Backward and Depressed Region (Vestigial regions also)
3. Neutral and Intermediate Regions.
D) Regions as per the activity status analysis
1. Mineral regions
2. Manufacturing regions
3. Urban and or Congested regions