State of Families in India After 65 Years of Independence: Is Country Shining?

The Federal Home Ministry has recently released the final figures of the first phase of Census 2011 known as Houselisting and Housing Census in New Delhi. The latest Census has thrown up figures that would shock country planners. Despite significant improvement in living standards over the last census of 2001, the 2011 figures show a picture that is far from respectable for a country aiming to be on the global high-table of decision making.
According to the present Census, these and many other contrasting facts of life have come out in Census 2011. The data casts new light on a country in the throes of a complex transition, where millions have access to state-of-the-art technologies and consumer goods — but a larger number lacks access to the most rudimentary facilities.
The data states that India is now overwhelmingly made up of nuclear families — a dramatic change from just a generation ago, where joint families were the norm. Seventy per cent of the households consist of only one couple. Indian families are overwhelmingly likely — 86.6 per cent of them — to live in their own houses, but 37.1 per cent live in a single room.
Bold Paradox
Sample this: In nuclear India capable of routinely sending satellites into space, 31 per cent - 10 crore - out of 33 crore households across the country use kerosene for lighting homes. Approximately 7 per cent of the urban houses (presumably slums) use kerosene while 43 per cent rural homes use the fuel, indicating that they either do not have power supply or cannot afford it. This figure is an improvement over 2001 when 42 per cent households used kerosene for lighting purposes.
If you thought that almost everybody in India was rushing to buy a car, just sample this: Only 5 per cent - some 1.65 crore -- families in the country own a personal four wheeler. Only 9.7 per cent - some 1 crore -- of the 11 crore urban families have a four wheeler.
Rapid Economic Growth
Despite India’s rapid economic growth, nearly 15 per cent families live in houses that have roofs made of grass, thatch, bamboo, wood, mud etc. Ten years ago, the figure was 21. 9 per cent.
The Census says only 32 per cent households use tap water for drinking from a treated (filtration plant) source. Only 47 per cent families have source of water (tap, well, etc) within the houses, while 18 per cent fetch drinking water from a source located more than 500 meters (villages) and 100 meters (urban) from their homes. In urban areas, 70 pc homes have tapped water supply, while just 30 pc enjoy the facility in the rural areas.
The data shows 61 per cent families across the country have kitchen for cooking. Approximately 79 per cent urban homes have it, while the figure is 53 per cent in villages. Surprisingly, 67 per cent of families use firewood, crop residue, cow dung and coal as fuel to cook. Only 29 per cent homes across the country have access to LPG, electricity or bio-gas as fuel for cooking purposes. In the urban areas, 65 per cent of homes have access to LPG while 20. 1 per cent use firewood and 7. 5 per cent kerosene for cooking.
Cellphone Versus Toilets
It noted that 49.8 per cent Indian households defecate in the open but, in sharp contrast, 63.2 per cent households own a telephone connection, 53.2 per cent of them a cell phone. The data also shows that computers with Internet facilities have penetrated just 3.1 per cent of the population.
The data on toilets has reflected the recent concerns raised by Federal Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, whose remark that women demand cell phones but not toilets had created a controversy. Open defecation continues to be a big concern for the country as almost half the population (49.8 per cent) do it. Cultural and traditional reasons and lack of education were the prime reasons for this unhygienic practice.
The figures show that 3.2 per cent people use public toilets. Jharkhand tops the list with 77 per cent households without toilet facilities, followed by 76.6 per cent in Orissa and 75.8 per cent in Bihar.
Need of the Hour
People without latrines especially women as told Prime Ministyer Manmohan Singh in a statement is a shame for the country. This Census proves that issue is serious and demands attention of the federal and provincial levels.
The government should take note of the issue and ensure functioning of sewage treatment plants in local urban bodies to protect the masses from cancer like ailments in India. Pedestrians and cyclists are most vulnerable to accidents their movement on the roads is at mercy of the fast moving vehicle owners as there no cycle tracks on the roads.
After 65 years of independence, it is a national shame that around 50 per cent of the population ease themselves in the open, and a large majority of the rest have access to latrines with no running water or use public toilets which seldom are useable. As far as the government is concerned, it is a regret that it could not fetch to the citizens the basics like toilets, water and hygiene and for the citizens it's a matter of rejoice that they have earned enough penny to make technology touch the ground in the face of cell phones and televisions. With corrupt politicians and industrialists will India ever be able to solve its toilet problem which is getting worse with each passing day. In other words, profit-seeking companies can do a much better job than the government, the way it is working, in providing services in the country.

Hike in Petrol Prices

A whispering campaign was on for the last several months that immediately after the declaration of election results for five state assemblies that went to elections, the prices of petrol and diesel would be hiked. After the declaration of the results, the process of formation of governments in these states is still on. Now that the government has hiked the petrol price by rupees give a liter, the whispers have come true.
Unexpected Steep Rise
Both Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Petroleum Minister Murli Deora had hinted about price hike on several occasions, but no one expected a steep rise of Rs. 5 per liter in price of petrol. It may be recalled that the prices of petrol has been hiked eight times during the past nine months, the present hike being the highest ever. It has been noticed often that whenever there is a hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, the price of food articles also go up. Freight and fares also go up.
The issue was discussed threat bare at the meeting of the Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Pranab Mukherji. The GoM also discussed ways and means to keep price rise of essential commodities in check, but to ignore the hike in prices of crude oil at the international level, was well nigh impossible for the government. The finance minister maintains that going by the current scenario, the government was left with no option because, despite having raised the price of petrol by Rs.5 per liter, the oil companies still continue to suffer a loss of Rs. 5.5 a liter on petrol.
Prices of Crude Oil
Despite that the prices of crude oil had reached the highest level in the international marked in the last two-and-half years, the oil companies had refrained from raising the price of petrol since January, though the companies continued to exert pressure on the government to hike the price. The government continued to delay the announcement because while it did its best to save the people from the price rise is essential commodities and to bring inflation under control, it also had the elections in five states before it.
The oil crisis started in the international market in wake of the Iraq war. It had its impact on the entire world. The situation became all the more serious after the relations between the United State and Libya sourced. Further, the imposition of sanctions on Iran by the United Nations also aggravated the situation. It is not mean to discuss here as to which country imports oil from where or does not import at all. The truth, however, cannot be ignored that the rise in crude oil prices does have an impact on the oil industry in all countries.
The government had decontrolled the petrol prices in June 2010 and since then the prices of the commodity have been hiked for the eighth time. It was the compulsion of the government as well. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has termed the hike in petrol prices as anti-people saying that the government was awaiting the results of the elections held in five states. The accusation by the BJP loses its strength because both the finance minister and the petroleum minister had already hinted a couple of months ago that the raising the petrol prices was the compulsion of the government.
Despite the price rise of Rs. 5 a liter in petrol, the oil companies continue to suffer a loss, which makes it clear that another hike in petrol price may be announced soon. The BJP has linked the current hike with politics but, should there be a further rise in the petrol price in the future, with which the BJP would link that? It would be futile to believe that the opposition is not aware or ignorant of the rise in crude oil prices in the international market. A government when takes such a hard decision, discusses the issue threadbare but under unavoidable circumstances the price rise becomes its compulsion.
Burden of Price Rise on People
One can not deny that with the rise in petrol prices, the burden of the price rise on people would further, increase and that it would also have its impact on inflation. Even the prices of the LPG and kerosene and diesel may be affected. Yet the situation that the government faces is unavoidable. No government wants to see its people falling in the grip of miseries. The government has taken the decision after the GoM report. It can be safely claimed that the decision of the government hints at some kind of a concrete strategy as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has admitted that the government was left with no other option.
It is always easy to criticize the government. Protests, demonstrations and sit-ins are held against decisions of the government. Yet, no opposition has ever come out with an alternative solution to any problem. Nor does it ever suggest how a particular issue can be solved.
The government decided to hike the price of petrol in view of the situation that it confronted but now it would have to think how it should provide relief to people. The meeting of the GoM is scheduled during the current month itself to take a decision on the prices of LPG, diesel and kerosene. The government needs to be abundantly cautious while making a decision on it. At the same time, it needs to think on the subsidies too, so that some kind of relief is given to the people and opposition may not find an opportunity to criticize and take on the government.