Uneven Access to Basic Household Amenities in North-East India: Spatial Inequalities, Rural–Urban Disparities and Health-Related Implications

Basic household amenities are important indicators of living conditions and contribute to the wellbeing and development of households. However, their availability and distribution remain uneven across regions and between rural and urban areas. This study analyses spatial disparities in access to household level basic amenities across 86 districts of North East India using Census 2011 data. The study used eight indicators; concrete roofs, treated drinking water, electricity, toilet, bathroom, drainage, LPG/PNG, and kitchen facilities. A Composite Index was constructed using eight indicators after normalization. Location Quotient and Gini Coefficient were applied to assess concentration and inequality. A modified disparity index was used to assess rural urban differences, Pearson’s correlation to examine associations among amenities, and GIS based mapping to identify spatial patterns. The finding reveals substantial spatial variation in access to household amenities across the region, with capital and relatively developed districts generally showing better access, while several remote, rural and peripheral districts experience greater infrastructural deficits. Concrete roofing records the highest overall inter district inequality (Gini = 0.61), followed by drinking water (0.47), drainage (0.43) and LPG/PNG (0.43). The findings highlight the need for geographically targeted and integrated infrastructure planning to reduce spatial inequalities in household living conditions. Although health outcomes are not directly examined, improved access to safe water, sanitation, drainage and clean cooking energy may contribute to more health supportive household environment.