Class 6

A village is a small settlement usually found in a rural setting.

A rural area is an open swath of land that has few homes or other buildings, and not very many people. A rural area’s population density is very low.

The rural social structure includes all these aspects in social, economic and political institutions. Thus, a rural community is a separate entity on its own. A correct idea about the rural social structure comes with an understanding of the characteristics of rural community.

Urban areas are locations with high population density. Urban areas are in cities and towns. An urban area is often the main area of employment. Urban areas have the most human-built structures. This built environment creates opportunities for health such as sidewalks and public transit.

Agriculture is said to be the main source of income for the farmers or people living in the rural areas. Farming and many other activities contribute to the rural regions in respect to the infrastructure, business opportunity and quality of the environment.

There is quantitative evidence that rural areas are better off than urban areas on a number of different measures, such as unemployment and crime, but there are substantial differences within both rural and urban areas. In a few respects rural areas are worse off

India’s three-tiered census definition of ‘urban’—at least 5,000 inhabitants, density of 400 people per sq.km or more, and at least 75% of male working population engaged in non-farm activities—was first framed in 1961 by then census commissioner Asok Mitra.

The important features of a rural community are: Communities are smaller in size and sparsely populated (i.e the density of population is less). The population shows homogeneity of language, culture, customs etc. The main occupation is agriculture. People live in close contact with nature. Slower means of communication.

Rural Family. Family can be defined as a relatively permanent and socially sanctioned group of parent, and children. It may all so include near relatives of husband or wife as in case of joint family. The members of the family are relate to each other by blood or by marriage.

Tehsildar: Tehsildar is a revenue administrative officer in charge of obtaining taxation from a Tehsil. A Tehsildar is also called Patwari. Every police station has an area that comes under its control. All persons in that area can report cases or inform the police about any occurrence like theft, accident, fight, etc.