Sunday Observer Online
   

Home

Sunday, 18 March 2012

Untitled-1

observer
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

Half of Indian homes have phones but no toilets

17 Mar,BBC

Nearly half of India's 1.2bn people do not have toilets at home, but more people own a mobile phone, according to the latest census data.

Only 46.9% of the 246.6 million households have lavatories while 49.8% defecate in the open. The remaining 3.2% use public toilets.

Census 2011 data on houses, household amenities and assets reveals that 63.2% homes have a telephone.

Analysts say the data shows the complex contradictions of the Indian system.

They say it reveals a country where millions have access to cutting-edge technology and consumer goods but a larger number of poor who lack access to even basic facilities.

About 77% of homes in the eastern state of Jharkhand have no toilet facilities, while the figures are 76.6% for Orissa and 75.8% in Bihar. All three are among India's most backward states with huge populations which live on less than a dollar.

"Open defecation continues to be a big concern for the country as almost half of the population do it," Registrar General and Census Commissioner C Chandramouli said on Tuesday while releasing the latest data.

"Cultural and traditional reasons and a lack of education are the prime reasons for this unhygienic practice. We have to do a lot in these fronts," he said.

The data also reveals that Indian now largely live in nuclear families with 70% of homes consisting only one couple - a dramatic change in a country where joint families were always the norm.

The census figures also show the change in how people get information and entertainment.

More than half the population - 53.2% - have a mobile phone.

There has been a 16% rise in the number of homes with television sets, while the use of radios has declined by 15%.

The data shows that 47.2% households have television while only 19.9% have a radio.

And the reach of computers with internet facility is still miniscule with only 3.1% of the population connected.

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

Sri Lankan Wedding Magazine online
www.news.lk
www.defence.lk
Donate Now | defence.lk
www.apiwenuwenapi.co.uk
LANKAPUVATH - National News Agency of Sri Lanka
Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL)
www.army.lk
 

| News | Editorial | Finance | Features | Political | Security | Sports | Spectrum | Montage | Impact | World | Obituaries | Junior | Magazine |

 
 

Produced by Lake House Copyright © 2012 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor