• Dr. Dinky Mishra

ABSTRACT Shelter is considered as one of the essential needs of mankind after food and clothing. Housing is one of the basic requirements for the survival of human beings and ownership of house provides significant economic and social security, rural housing is one of the basic components of rural development. The problem of adequate housing is indeed a global issue. As per United Nation Statistics (2016), about one quarter of the world’s population do not have adequate shelter. In our country as well, the scenario of housing assumes a very deplorable condition. Among the states of India, Assam is severely lacking in adequate housing facility. In the undivided district of Sonitpur of Assam, the problem of adequate housing is more acute in rural areas as the census figure of 2011 speaks that around 10.15 percent of total rural population are living in a dilapidated dwellings compared to 4.53 percent in urban areas. The region is also lagging behind in minimum essential amenities of living such as proper sanitation facilities, access to safe drinking water and electricity more particularly in rural areas. However, a significant variation in the availability of essential amenities of living and housing conditions is noticed across social and economic groups from the research study. The research study is done on the basis of primary survey conducted in 300 households of the district. The simple random sampling technique is used for this purpose. The sampled households are selected purposively so that they represent different income groups in order to understand the dimension of problem. The entire study aims to focus on rural development by means of providing the rural poor with better housing and living conditions ever since.

Key words: Housing shortage, basic amenities, income groups and rural development.

"Dimensions of Housing Problem in Rural Areas - A Study in the Undivided Sonitpur District of Assam", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no.625-635, May-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905L99.pdf

"Dimensions of Housing Problem in Rural Areas - A Study in the Undivided Sonitpur District of Assam", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no. pp625-635, May-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905L99.pdf