Delhi best city to live, rent highest in Mumbai but Kolkata has more jobs

Out of 215 cities surveyed by Mercer Human Resource Consulting around the world, the Indian capital bettered its ranking and is ranked at number 148 up by two places last year. Other cities featured in the survey are Chennai (177) and Mumbai (209).

Analysis of the cities was based on an evaluation of 39 criteria including political, social, economic and environmental factors. Other factors taken into consideration include personal safety and health, education, transport and other public services.

"Indian cities score relatively poorly for health and sanitation. Most Indian cities are densely populated with poor waste removal and sewage systems. These issues, combined with increasing air pollution, contribute to their relatively low ratings," Slagin Parakatil, senior researcher, Mercer, was quoted as saying in a press release issued through Asianet.

He added, "Overall Indian cities have also increased their quality of living. Yet, India still requires major investments in the areas of health, sanitation including waste removal, sewage, water potability among others."

Zurich (108.1 rating) ranks first closely followed by Geneva (108 rating). Cities in Europe, Australia and New Zealand continue to dominate the top end of the rankings in the overall quality of living while Iraqi capital of Baghdad scored the lowest (14.5) with Congo (29.5) figuring penultimate on the list.

In the Asia Pacific region, Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand rank in joint 18th place. Singapore ranks at 50th place while Hong Kong is at 117.

Though Kolkata did not find any mention in the list, it may take heart from any another survey which has put the employment status in the land of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore as higher than that of Delhi, Chennai and Pune.

According to the latest report of the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO), which covers Class 1 cities (those with a population of 10 lakh and above), Class 2 and Class 3 towns — the former with a population over 50,000 and the latter, less, the employment status for males in Kolkata stood at 751 per thousand in 2004-05. However, the number of females employed were abysmally low at 190 per thousand.

The employment status for males in Delhi is 714 per thousand and female employment is 112 per thousand. The figure for Chennai is 749 for male and 168 for female per thousand.