Kanhu Charan Pradhan The unexpected increase in the number of
census towns (CTs) in the last census has thrust them into the
spotlight. Using a hitherto unexploited dataset, it is found
that many of the new CTs satisfied the requisite criteria in
2001 itself; mitigating concerns of inflated urbanisation. The
new CTs account for almost 30% of the urban growth in last
decade, with large inter-state variations. They are responsible
for almost the entire growth in urbanisation in Kerala and
almost none in Chhattisgarh. Consequently, the estimated
contribution of migration is similar to that in previous
intercensal periods. Further, while some new CTs are
concentrated around million-plus cities, more than four-fifths
are situated outside the proximity of such cities, with a large
majority not even near Class I towns, though they form part of
local agglomerations. This indicates a dispersed pattern of in-
situ urbanisation. A growing share of urban population in these
CTs is thus being governed under the rural admin