According to this 2014 revision of the World Urbanization Prospects produced by the UN Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs Africa and Asia are urbanizing faster than other regions and the largest urban growth will take place in India, China and Nigeria. These three countries will account for 37 per cent of the projected growth of the world’s urban population between 2014 and 2050.

For the first time in human history the urban population outnumbers the rural one. This is both due to villages growing to become towns and cities, and migration of the rural population to urban cities.

This 69th round of NSSO survey (July 2012 – December 2012) on drinking water, sanitation, hygiene and housing condition presents a bleak picture of sanitation and hygiene conditions in the rural areas.The last survey on these subjects was undertaken in the 65th round of NSS (July 2008- June 2009).