Transformation of Socioeconomic Environment In Urban and Peri-Urban Areas of Ahmedabad, India

This paper examines the socio-economic profile of the study region, taking the household as the basic unit of inquiry. Because the study area is both extensive and diverse, and given the practical limits of fieldwork, only a sample of 343 households was studied. These households, drawn from 23 villages, represent about 0.26 percent of the total households in the region. Each respondent from the selected households was personally interviewed, which allowed the researcher to capture detailed information and cross-check responses directly. Care was taken to include different categories of households by relying on random selection in every village, though the final coverage reflects both the objectives of the research and certain purposive choices. In all, 343 households, comprising about 0.31 percent of the overall population, were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Over time, the findings point to a clear shift in occupational patterns and in the size of landholdings, changes that are closely linked with the spread of urbanisation in Ahmedabad.