How far have
smartphones penetrated India and how do people in the country access the internet? Do they use their mobile phones to listen to FM radio, and how many of them have
television sets with cable or dish TV connections?
These and other questions are set to be asked by the Houselisting and Housing Census, a precursor to the population enumeration exercise of the main census in 2021. The queries have been classified into 34 categories with subcategories and are aimed at providing a snapshot of how Indians live. The insights from the survey will be valuable for the government in tailoring its programmes and for companies seeking to detect trends that can be exploited as the nation of 1.3 billion people evolves, experts said.
The survey will gather data related to how Indians access the internet and consume entertainment, according to an official with knowledge of the matter. It will look at what fuel Indians use, how they access drinking water, whether they own a TV set, radio or
laptop with internet access and their mode of transport among other details. The country-wide survey will be carried out between August 12 and September 4.
