Provisions of Basic Household Amenities in India: A Progress Report

Abstract

Over the years the world has reconciled to an entirely different phase of development discourse where progress in development is no more certified on the basis of overall income growth of the economy, but rather on the quantum reduction in the share of population deprived with ‘basic human needs’. The ‘basic human needs’ approach to development emphasises on providing basic material needs to people. Though, it is well acknowledged that poverty manifests in numerous dimensions, its assessment in consideration of multiple dimensions is yet to attain consensus. It is also known that as each dimension of ‘basic human needs’ has its own characteristics, it thus requires different policy intervention. Therefore, it is much more rewarding to assess the individual dimension of deprivation rather than being in the quest of an aggregate measure which will be at the cost of adequacy and simplicity. In this background, this article makes an attempt to analyse India’s progress in the three important ‘basic human needs’ essential for a human life: access to toilet facility, safe drinking water and electricity.