Kanpur and Lucknow cities of U.P. became million cities as per the census of India in the year

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — C, 1971 and 1981 respectively. Kanpur, U.P.'s big industrial and textile city, grew fastest and crossed the one-million (ten-lakh) mark first: its census population rose from about 8.9 lakh in 1961 to about 11.6 lakh in 1971, so it became a 'million city' at the 1971 Census. Lucknow, the state capital, grew more slowly and crossed one million a decade later, at the 1981 Census. Hence Kanpur = 1971 and Lucknow = 1981.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Too early — at the 1961 Census Kanpur was still under a million (about 8.9 lakh), so it could not have crossed the mark by 1951, and Lucknow was far smaller than a million in 1961.  (b) Kanpur crossed one million only at the 1971 Census, not 1961; and Lucknow did not reach a million by 1971 (it was roughly 7.5 lakh) — it did so only in 1981.  (d) Too late for Kanpur — it was already well past a million (about 14.9 lakh) by 1981, having crossed the mark back in 1971. This option pushes both cities one census too far.

Concept: A 'million-plus' (or 'million city') is a Census of India term for an urban centre whose population is at least one million (ten lakh). India's count of such cities has risen steadily each decade. Within U.P., the industrial city of Kanpur reached the mark before the administrative capital Lucknow, reflecting its earlier and faster industrial-driven growth.

State PCS 2020 Q23 — Geography PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2020 Q23 — Geography PYQ with Answer