The methodology
This is a two-pronged study incorporating the results from secondary as well as primary data. Primary data was collected by way of an online survey. The secondary component was primarily used to create indices. This is done in the following manner:
In order to ensure comparability across cities irrespective of size or population of a city, the data is normalised with the appropriate variable (in some cases it may be area, in others population). The normalisation variable differs across different data. Rating for each of the categories mentioned above is derived from an equal weighting formula. A ranking exercise is then conducted based on the ratings calculated above.
In addition, an online survey is conducted in top 30 cities. The parameters are captured in the survey to calculate the people’s perceptions about their living conditions, earning and business opportunities in their respective cities.
List of parameters considered for indices
LIFE AT WORK
Employment growth:
- No. of job ads with minimum
- 0-1 year experience (per capita)
- Employment growth rate
- Worker per enterprise
Small Business Growth:
- Total scheduled commercial banks credit (utilised by different sectors) growth rate
- No. of SSIs (small scale industries) availing credit (growth)
Per Capita Income:
- Annual per capita income of urban households
Financial Infrastructure:
- Number of ATMs (per capita)
- Proportion of organised enterprises in total enterprises
Business environment:
- Incidence of counterfeiting and cheating
- General attitude of people in the city
- Traffic during work hours
- Availability of career opportunities matching individuals skills set
- Opportunities in building a business/ professional career
Highlighted sub-categories are from the online survey
LIFE AFTER WORK
Entertainment:
- Per capita availability of restaurants & hotels
- Per capita availability of malls
- Tourist places to visit
- Adequacy of malls, movies halls and other places of entertainment
- Adequacy of parks
Housing:
- Population density per sq. km.
- Percentage of owned households
- Consumer Price Index for housing*
- Growth in Consumer Price Index for housing*
House rentals*
Education:
- Percent total literate Population (Age 7+)
- No. of AICTE-approved seats in M.B.A, Engineering, Medical etc. (per capita)
- Number of UGC-approved universities (per capita)
- Number of college courses (per capita)
Quality of schools Safety:
- Total IPC crime (per capita)
- Percentage of theft in total crime
- Percentage of murder in total crime
- Percentage of crime against women in total crime
- Percentage of riots in total crime
- General safety of women
- General responsiveness of the police
Standard of Living:
- Percentage of urban households with annual income greater than Rs 10 lakh
- Percentage of urban households with annual income between Rs 3-10 lakh Environment*
- RSPM levels in residential areas
- NO2 levels in residential areas
- Variation in temperature
- Pollution levels
Health:
- Percentage of children age 12-35 months who received full immunization
- Number of hospitals offering cashless services
- Percentage of mothers who had at least 3 ante-natal care visits during the last pregnancy'
- Percentage of mothers who got at least one TT injection when they were pregnant
- Contraceptive prevalance rate'
- No. of registered hospitals (per capita)
- Adequacy of good quality hospitals
Public Facilities:
- Percentage of households using piped drinking water
- Percentage of households electrified
- Percentage of households having access to toilet facility
- Average duration of power cuts in a day
- Average frequency of water supply in a day
- General maintenance of the city (roads, cleanliness, etc.)
- Delay in construction projects
- Availability of parking spaces
- Adequacy of public transport
- Adequacy of hospitals
- Till what time are groceries available
*Inverse considered
Data Sources:
Secondary Sources: Census of India, Census Town Directory 2001
Central Statistical Organization (CSO)
Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI)
National Crime Research Bureau, Crime in India etc. and many more
Survey Datasets:
National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), CSO, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
Reproductive and Child Heath Survey, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Indicus Products: “City Skyline of India 2008-09: Top 100 cities in India to Earn, Invest and Reside in”
