Regional Hierarchy

• The planning regions are classified into micro, meso and macro planning regions.
• These planning regions are classified on the basis of physical, economic and ecological factors.

A. Micro Regions:

1. Micro regions are ‘smallest’ and ‘lowest’ level of hierarchy of planning region.
2. Micro regions are different from adjacent areas in term of certain characteristic and potentialities.
3. Any small region has potential for the development and promotion to any single specialization such as agriculture (Punjab plain), Hydro power (HP), Tourism (J&K) etc.

B. Meso Regions:

1. Meso regions lie at the middle of the hierarchy of planning region combine in themselves a few micro region.
2. At least two micro region combined to form one meso region.
3. Meso region are multipurpose region. (ex. Damodar valley basin)
4. Meso region posses at least one specialization of production cycle of national importance as well as a number of nodal center of both national and regional significance.
5. The main objective of delimiting meso region is to curve out the viable unit for the effective exploitation, conjection and utilizing of resource.

C. Macro Regions:

• Macro region are the largest of all planning regions in the three tier system of planning region.
• It is a large areal unit with greatly diversified natural resources capable of being a self contained region with a self generating economy to support a high quality of life.
• They are formed by combined two or more meso regions.
• The size of macro region for planning purpose also can not be standardized.