Over 95 pc people have access to potable water in rural areas, says govt report

A government survey has revealed that 95 per cent of people in rural areas and 97.2 per cent in cities are having access to improved sources of drinking (potable) water during 2020-2021.

According to the report based on the Multiple Indicator Survey (MIS) of the National Sample Survey (NSS) 78th round, about 56.3 per cent of the persons in the rural areas and about 76.3 per cent of the persons in the urban areas used improved source of drinking water located in the household premises, which was sufficiently available throughout the year.

The primary objective of the MIS was to collect data for generation of some important national indicators of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The survey was initially planned to be conducted during January-December 2020, but due to Covid-19 pandemic, the data collection was continued up to August 15, 2021 for ensuring completeness of survey operation in terms of its coverage.

For the central sample, the survey was spread over 14,266 first stage units (8,469 in rural areas and 5,797 in urban areas) covering 2,76,409 sample households, including 1,64,529 in rural areas and 1,11,880 in urban areas.

The report based on the MIS released in March stated that about 78.7 per cent of the households in the rural areas and about 97.1 per cent in the urban areas reported that majority of household members had access to latrine.

Among those who had reported access to latrine, about 97.5 per cent in rural areas had access to improved latrine while about 99 per cent in the urban areas had access to improved latrine, it found.

About 77.4 per cent of the persons in the rural areas and about 92.7 per cent in the urban areas had access to hand washing facility with water and soap/detergent within the premises, it stated.

Among the persons who had reported access to latrine and hand washing facility, about 73.3 per cent of the persons in the rural areas and about 81.4 per cent in the urban areas had exclusive access to improved latrine and hand washing facilities with water and soap/detergent within the household premises, it stated.

About 49.8 per cent of households in the rural areas and about 92.0 per cent of households in the urban areas used clean fuel as primary source of energy for cooking.

Clean fuel refers to LPG, other natural gas, gobar gas, other biogas, electricity (including generated by solar/wind power generators) and solar cooker.

About 33 per cent of persons in rural areas and about 39.4 per cent of persons in urban areas of age 15-29 years were in formal and non-formal education and training for the 12 months preceding the survey.

At the same time, about 30.2 per cent of persons in rural areas and about 27.0 per cent of persons in urban areas of age 15-24 years were not in education, employment or training (NEET) as on date of survey, it stated.

About 67.8 per cent of persons aged 18 years and above in rural areas and about 83.7 per cent aged 18 years and above in urban areas used mobile phone with active sim card during the three months preceding the date of the survey.

Among the persons of age 18 years and above, about 89.3 per cent in rural areas and about 89.6 per cent in urban areas had an account individually or jointly in any bank/other financial institution/mobile money service provider, it stated.

Out of 1,00,000 persons of age 18 years and above, 16,223 persons in rural areas and 14,889 in urban areas were indebted to any institutional/non-institutional agency as on date of survey.

About 92.5 per cent of households in rural areas reported availability of all-weather roads within 2 kilometres from the place of living.

About 11.2 per cent of households in rural areas and about 7.2 per cent of households in urban areas purchased/constructed any new house/flat for residential purpose after March 31, 2014.

Among the households which reported purchase/construction of any new house/flat after March 31, 2014 for residential purpose, about 47.5 per cent of households in rural areas and about 57.9 per cent of households in urban areas purchased/constructed new house/flat for the first time.

Among the households which reported purchase/construction of any new house/flat after March 31, 2014 for the first time for residential purpose, about 96.5 per cent of households in rural areas and about 96.7 per cent in urban areas owned that house/flat as on date of survey.

About 26.8 per cent of persons in rural areas and about 34.6 per cent of persons in urban areas had current place of residence different from the last usual place of residence, it stated.

Among males, employment was the main reason for migration, being 38.7 per cent in rural areas and 56.1 per cent in urban areas. For females, marriage was the main reason for migration, being 93.4 per cent in rural areas and 71.5 per cent in urban areas, it stated.