THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: During the past decade, the number of houses in the state shot up by 19.9 per cent to 1.12 crore, with Ernakulam district having the most number of houses (11.74 lakh) and Wayanad having the least (2.77 lakh). The number of households stood at a little over 77.16 lakh in 2011 against 65.96 lakh in 2001, according to data released here by director-in-charge of Census Operations, Kerala, Dr V M Gopala Menon.
(A Census House is defined as a building or part of a building used as a separate unit because it has a separate entrance. A Household is defined as a place used by a group of persons who normally live together and use a common kitchen.)
While 66.3 per cent of the houses in the state were considered good, 28.4 per cent were ‘livable’. While 5.3 per cent were ‘dilapidated’ 61.4 per cent houses used cement, putting Kerala in the sixth place nationally. Kozhikode has the best houses. 22.9 per cent had mosaic/floor tiles, and Kerala stands seventh nationally. 90.7 per cent of the houses were ‘owned’ by the inhabitants, while 7.3 per cent were rented.
68.5 per cent of the households had at least one married couple, with Idukki having the highest number of households in this category and Malappuram having the lowest.
Kollam topped the list of households having drinking water within the premises, while Idukki is last with only 41.4 per cent homes having this facility. 27.2 per cent households in Idukki had to collect drinking water away from home, while such households constituted only 4.6 per cent in Kollam district.
94.4 per cent of the households had electricity in Kerala in 2011, and Ernakulam topped the list with 97.4 per cent. More households in Wayanad lacked electricity than in any other district. Still, 80.8 per cent households there had electric connection. 95.2 per cent households had latrines. Ernakulam tops the list and Idukki is the last.
ASSETS AND AMENITIES
There are more mobile phone users in Ernakulam (85 per cent) than in any other district. Wayanad had the least number of televisions, computers, two-wheelers and light four-wheelers compared to other districts. Kannur had more radios than any other district (44.1 per cent) while Kollam had the least number (18.8 per cent). In the case of televisions, Ernakulam topped the list with 87.9 per cent households. Wayanad has the lowest number of TVs - 59.3 per cent households.
There are more telephones in Kottayam (93.9 per cent households). Only 83.7 per cent households in Wayanad had them. Ernakulam topped the list for computers, two-wheelers and light four-wheelers with 23.3 per cent, 40.7 per cent and 17.1 per cent households respectively having them.