Eight in ten households in India own a home

Indians love to own a home. The Census 2011 puts a number to this emotional attachment. Eight in ten households in India own a house. But, clearly, this is an outcome of most people in rural areas having their own dwelling. Only 69 per cent of urban households own a home. Also, States such as National Capital Territory of Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra with top-tier cities have relatively fewer households that own a property.

If you are looking for a house, it may not be too tough to get one in some of the key States such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi and Gujarat, according to the Census 2011 data.

About 10-14 per cent of the total houses in these states are actually unoccupied. In Maharashtra and Delhi, 11 per cent of the total houses recorded in the census are vacant. If you fancy living in a vacation spot like Goa, it may be even easier to buy a house. A fifth of the houses there are vacant. Of course, it is another matter whether these houses are all liveable.

In all, India has about 33 crore houses, close to 80 per cent of which are used for residential purposes. Taking into account the nation's total population of 121 crore, it would roughly mean that four-five members live in a house.

Quality of houses

What sort of houses do people dwell in? About a third of the houses in India have a concrete roof while tiled-roofs follow a close second. The Union Territories appear to enjoy better quality of housing. Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry have 60-83 per cent of the houses made of concrete.

Among the more developed States, Maharashtra has a higher proportion of houses with metal or asbestos roofs than concrete ones. The slums of Mumbai are classic examples.

About 15 in every 100 houses have a roof made of grass, thatch, mud, wood or bamboo. But the walls of a majority of houses are built with burnt bricks across India.

Concrete and brick may assure quality, but not size. Almost seven in every 10 households live in houses with one or maximum two rooms. A similar situation prevailed in 2001.

What about amenities and sanitation facilities in these dwellings? Availability of drinking water through tap has certainly improved. Close to 44 per cent of households have tap water facility, either within their premises or in a place nearby. A decade ago, only 37 per cent of families had access to tap water. Wells may slowly become a thing of the past as the usage of wells has drastically declined. But over a third of the households continue to access drinking water through pumps.

More houses have access to electricity too. About 67 per cent of households enjoy access to electricity now compared with 55 per cent in 2001. Simultaneously, usage of kerosene as a source of lighting has come down.

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