Amenities in slums match up to urban homes

If one goes by the census report on slums of urban India released on Thursday, living conditions in slums are no different from that of non-slums. Moushumi Das Gupta reports.

If one goes by the census report on slums of urban India released on Thursday, living conditions in slums are no different from that of non-slums.

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Infact, there is a stark similarity as far as access to basic amenities like drinking water and electricity is concerned, India’s first-ever census of household amenities and assets in slums has revealed that slum dwellers are also spending more on TV sets, computers and mobile phones rather than sanitation.

In 2011, of the 13.7 million slum households 74% have access to tap water as against 70% in non-slums.

As many as 90% have access to electricity as against 92% in non-slums. Also more slum dwellers - 77% -- have access to permanent houses.

“The figures indicate the narrowing gap between slums and non-slums,” registrar general C Chandramouli said.

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However, only 66% slum families have toilet in their homes as against 81% in non-slums.

In an indication of an increase in their purchasing power, the report also reveals that 70.2% of slum families own their houses as compared to 69% in non-slum households.

70% slum families have television, 63% have a mobile phone and 10 .4% have computers – indicators of an increase in purchasing power.

Overall there are 19 million plus cities where more than 25% households live in slums.