90 percent of Kerala homes have telephone

Thiruvananthapuram, March 30 (IANS) Almost 90 percent of households in Kerala have telephone connections (land line or mobile) in 2011, a staggering rise over the 19.1 percent in 2001, according to the house listing and housing Census conducted ahead of the Census 2011.

The detailed figures, released here by the census directorate, revealed that households in Kottayam district had the highest number of telephones at 93.90 percent, while the least was in the hilly Wayanad district (8.6 percent).

The figures also revealed that the number of radios had fallen to 29.70 percent in 2011, from 59.20 percent in 2001.

However, 76.80 percent of the homes were found to have a TV set and 15.70 percent had a computer.

It was also found out that while just 51.10 percent availed of banking facility in 2001, the figure had shot up to 74.20 percent in 2011.

The number of houses had also increased 19.90 percent since 2001, touching 11,217,853 houses, of which 1,189,144 houses were vacant.

Ernakulam district led with 1,174,691 houses and Wayanad came last with just 277,988 houses. Of the total, 66.30 percent were in 'good' condition, 28.40 percent in 'livable' category and 5.30 percent 'dilapidated'.

It was found out that in 68.50 percent households there was just one family, while in 13.80 percent, there were two families and in 15 percent, there were no couples at all.

As far as vehicles were concerned, 24.10 per cent owned a two wheeler, and 10.20 percent had a four wheeler.

Meanwhile, 61.90 percent were using firewood as fuel for cooking, and 35.80 percent of homes had a cooking gas cylinder.

Deputy director of census operations A.N. Rajeev said that the socio-economic-caste census would commence in the state by the the next month and would be finished by the end of May.

'The data that is going to be generated through this census is basically meant to help the state government to make its plan when it comes to identifying castes and other social indicators of the households,' he said.

Rajeev said that the data collection would be done by the enumerators equipped with a hand-held device and once the data is fed, only the supervisor would have access to it.

'Before it is finalised, barring the caste, other details would be displayed in every village council for people to make any correction, if required,' he said.