�Small Towns and Regional Development� deals with population characteristics and role of small urban centers in regional development. Urbanization and development are inter-linked. Urban centers, big or small, affect their surrounding areas. The small towns are most intimately integrated with rural areas and provide services and commodities. Small urban centers act as linked chain between rural area and higher order urban centers.
\nThough this book an attempt is made to concentrate on small urban centers of North Bihar Plain which can play a dominant role in development of their surrounding areas.Various indices of socio-economic development have been taken as tool to examine demographic characteristics and the role of small towns in rural transformation of less developed region and backward areas. Recent data have been studied in separate chapter entitled �Regional Population : Contemporary Directions,� 2001, which enhance to utility and effectiveness of the book. This book, therefore, will certainly help planners, researchers, students, teachers, government officials to carry the objectives of development process.
