Which of the following factors is not responsible for the development of rural settlement in India?

Trade

The correct answer is Option (4) → Trade

In India compact or clustered village of a few hundred houses is a rather universal feature, particularly in the northern plains. However, there are several areas, which have other forms of rural settlements. There are various factors and conditions responsible for having different types of rural settlements in India. These include: (i) physical features – nature of terrain, altitude, climate and availability of water (ii) cultural and ethenic factors – social structure, caste and religion (iii) security factors – defence against thefts and robberies.