Page 1 of 8
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 03
March 2019
Available online:https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 1022
Household Size In Punjab: A Geographical Perspective
Ashok Kumar
Research Scholar, Department of Geography, M.D. University, Rohtak
Email: ashokmdugeo@gmail.com
Abstract
This paper utilizes district-level data on theruraland urban household size in Punjab for
2011. There are two main objectives of this present paper to study the trend of household size
and, and differences between urban - ruralhousehold.This work is based on secondary data
and collected from acensus of India, 2011. The data is tabulated and calculated
thedifferences betweenhouseholds sizein 2011. According to Census of India, the average size
of thehousehold is i.e. 5.7 persons per household in 2011.
Keywords: Household size,Urban, Rural,Differential Index
Introduction
Household size is defined as “a group of persons who commonly live together and would
take their meals from a common kitchen unless the exigencies of work prevented them from
doing so. A household may comprise of persons related with blood or of unrelated persons or
have a mix of both (Census of India, 1991)”.
“The studies on household size contribute a significant in thearea of experiencing
declining population growth which influences through significant changes in living
arrangements” (Singh, 2018). The pace of declining household size of in rural areas is
directly related to emigration because of backward effect of economic growth like as
industrial, urban infrastructure and emerging of new metro cities.
Levy (1985) analyzed that fertility and household size are associated with socio- cultural and socio-economic aspects in developing countries. The cultural expectation of
social security by old age people from their children is determinant as household size (Rani,
1986).
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European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 03
March 2019
Available online:https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 1023
The education level, psychological status, and individual perception towards society
are determinants of fertility rate and household size. Geographers have analysed the extent of
fertility and household size depends on individual’s family backgrounds, social,
psychological characteristics and economic status (Chandana, 2006).
Blake (1986) has established an inverse interconnection between social class and
household size. Wagner et al., (1985) have referred that some variables are associated with
thesmall size of thefamily these are higher education level, late marriage, alonger gap
between marriage and the birth of the first child and employment condition.
Household size directly affects quality of living space as well as in household
composition. Several numbers of indicators of demographic, socio-economic changes, and
household changes are neither uniform in their social and spatial content (Nayak, 2014). It
may be notable to examine district-level variation in thesize of thehousehold change that is
unfolding in Punjab in last decade.
Study Area
Objectives
To studythe spatial pattern of household size in Punjab.
To find out spatial differences in household size of urban and rural inPunjab.
Database and Methodology
The present work is based on secondary sources of data. All secondary data are collected
from acensus of Punjabin 2011. The data like thedistrict-levelhousehold size has been
collected from theHH01 table.
To achieve the expected results, the index of the average size of household is
calculated by i.e.
Index of theaverage size of household =
୭୲ୟ୪ ୬୳୫ୠୣ୰ ୭ ୭୮୳୪ୟ୲୧୭୬
୳୫ୠୣ୰ ୭ ୌ୭୳ୱୣ୦୭୪ୢୱ
Page 3 of 8
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 07 Issue 03
March 2019
Available online:https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 1024
To analysed disparity between urban-rural household sizes; following formula has been used
URHHDI = (UHH - RHH) / THH
Whereas, URHHDI = urban-rural household differential index,UHH = urban household,
RHH= rural household, THH = total household
ArcGIS is also used as a tool to make maps of the variation in the size of household in
Punjab.
Population, Household Growth, and Household Size in 2011
According (2011) Census, Punjab has population of 254 million.In 2011, 65.57 per cent
couples in Punjab lived in single family. Out of total population of Punjab, 34.88 per cent
population lives in urban places and 65.12 per cent lives in the villages.
In 2011, sex ratio in Punjab was 877 females per 1000 males. Total population of
villages of Punjab state is 165 million. InPunjab, literacy rate for males and female stood at
81.55 per cent and 51.96 per cent in rural areas while 83.14 percent in urban places. In urban
places, literacy rate for males is 88.63 per cent literate female literacy rate at 65.98 per cent.
Punjab has total households 48 million in 2011. In 2011, total household growth was 31 per
cent but population was 20 per cent.
Table 1.1 shows the growth rate of population has been 20 per cent. The growth rate
of Panipat (35 per cent), Mahendragarh (32 per cent) and Kurukshetra (32 per cent) are
witnessed the highest population growth in Punjab (Census of India, 2011).
