Telangana's Development Claims Challenged by Persistent Basic Amenity Gaps
Despite widespread assertions of progress, glaring deficiencies in fundamental living conditions among various communities in Telangana have been starkly highlighted. An in-depth analysis conducted by the Independent Experts Working Group (IEWG) of the state's Socio-Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey-2024 reveals a distressing portrait of deprivation, particularly affecting Scheduled Tribes (STs), with substantial segments still lacking access to toilets, electricity, and tap water.
Living Conditions as Key Indicators of Backwardness
The report strongly emphasizes that living conditions serve as among the most visible and reliable metrics of social and economic backwardness, directly reflecting access to essential services and overall quality of life. Unlike volatile factors such as income or employment, these conditions evolve gradually over time, offering a more stable and consistent measure of either development or persistent deprivation.
Sanitation: A Critical Public Health Concern
Sanitation remains a paramount issue, with the findings indicating that 32.5% of ST households lack toilets, a rate significantly higher than the 18.8% among Scheduled Castes (SCs), 10.8% among Backward Classes (BCs), and 4.5% among other castes (OCs). The absence of toilets is not merely an inconvenience but a severe public health and safety challenge, particularly for women and the elderly, often leading to open defecation and heightened risks of disease and insecurity.
Electricity Access: Uneven Distribution Hinders Progress
Access to electricity, a fundamental necessity in contemporary life, also displays marked unevenness. Approximately 11% of ST households do not have electricity connections, nearly double the state average of 5.8%. Among other groups, 8.3% of SCs, 4.7% of BCs, and 2.7% of OCs lack electricity. The report underscores that households without electricity face severe limitations in education, healthcare access, communication, and livelihood opportunities, highlighting persistent infrastructure deficits.
Tap Water: Lagging Behind Universal Coverage Claims
Similarly, access to tap water continues to fall short despite official claims of universal coverage. IEWG discovered that 29.2% of ST households lack tap water connections, along with 19% of SCs, 20% of BCs, and 12.8% of OCs. The absence of in-house piped water not only adversely affects health and hygiene but also imposes a disproportionate burden on women, who frequently shoulder the responsibility of water collection.
Housing Conditions: Reflecting Deep-Rooted Inequalities
Housing conditions further mirror profound inequalities, with a majority of households, especially among marginalized groups, enduring cramped living spaces. About 75% of STs and 73% of SCs reside in houses with fewer than two rooms, indicating severe overcrowding and privacy deficits. The figures stand at 63% for BCs and 47% for OCs. In contrast, only 17% of STs and 18% of SCs live in relatively comfortable homes with three or more rooms, compared to 28% of BCs and 42% of OCs.
Enduring Disparities and the Path Forward
IEWG has stressed that these gaps in basic amenities underscore enduring disparities across caste groups in Telangana. Access to clean water, sanitation, electricity, and adequate housing remains central to ensuring a dignified standard of living and addressing long-standing inequalities, calling for targeted interventions and policy reforms.
