GUWAHATI, March 30 � As the main source of lighting, 37 per cent households in the State use electricity, which marks an increase of 12 point over 2001; 62 per cent of households use kerosene; and 0.8 per cent households use solar energy. As fuel for cooking, 80 per cent households use firewood/crop residue, cow dung cake/coal, etc; 19 per cent households use LPG/PNG/electricity/biogas and 0.6 per cent households use kerosene. An increase of six points has been noticed in the use of LPG.
This and other interesting facts were revealed in the data on �Housing, Household Amenities and Assets Census, 2011�, pertaining to the State, which was formally released by the Director of Census Operation, Assam, RK Das at the Assam Administrative Staff College today.
Addressing a press conference, Das said that the information had been collected on demographic data including religion, caste, language, economic activity, migration and fertility.
The Census of India was conducted in Assam in two phases � House-listing and Housing Census and National Population Registrar (NPR) in the first phase during April 1 to May 15, 2010; and Population Enumeration in the second phase during February 9 to 28, 2011, with a revision round during March 1 to 5, 2011.
�As far as housing in the State is concerned, a decline has been observed in proportion of households using grass/thatch/bamboo/ wood/ mud/tiles/burnt bricks as material of roof and wall; whereas, an increase has been observed in proportion of households using GI/metal/asbestos sheets and concrete as material of roof and burnt brick and stone as material for walls,� Das said.
On the drinking water front, 26 per cent of households in Assam use tap, tube-well, hand-pump and covered well as source of drinking water; 9 per cent households use tap water from treated sources.
While 55 per cent of households have source of water within the premises, 27 per cent of households have to fetch water from a source located within 500 metres in rural areas/100 metres in urban areas; 19 per cent still fetch drinking water from a source located more than 500 metres away in rural areas or 100 metres in urban areas.
As for vehicles used in the State, 4 per cent households have four-wheelers; 10 per cent households have two-wheelers (scooter/motorcycle/moped); and 55 per cent households have bicycles.
