'Over 95% people have access to potable water in rural areas'

For the central sample, the survey was spread over 14,266 first stage units (8,469 in rural areas and 5,797 in urban areas) covering 2,76,409 sample households, including 1,64,529 in rural areas and 1,11,880 in urban areas

NEW DELHI: A government survey has revealed that 95 per cent of people in rural areas and 97.2 per cent in cities are having access to improved sources of drinking (potable) water during 2020-2021.

According to the report based on the Multiple Indicator Survey (MIS) of the National Sample Survey (NSS) 78th round, about 56.3 per cent of the persons in the rural areas and about 76.3 per cent of the persons in the urban areas used improved source of drinking water located in the household premises, which was sufficiently available throughout the year.

The primary objective of the MIS was to collect data for generation of some important national indicators of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The survey was initially planned to be conducted during January-December 2020, but due to Covid-19 pandemic, the data collection was continued up to August 15, 2021 for ensuring completeness of survey operation in terms of its coverage.

For the central sample, the survey was spread over 14,266 first stage units (8,469 in rural areas and 5,797 in urban areas) covering 2,76,409 sample house-holds, including 1,64,529 in rural areas and 1,11,880 in urban areas.

The report based on the MIS released in March stated that about 78.7 per cent of the households in the rural areas and about 97.1 per cent in the urban areas reported that majority of household members had access to latrine.