1.

INTRODUCTION (Purpose of the Survey):

The purpose of conducting this socio-economic survey as part of the AMTRON
Internship program 2025 is to collect real-time data on the demographic and
economic conditions of households in a rural setup. The survey provides valuable
insights into the standard of living, employment status, access to education and
availability of basic infrastructure. It also helps us (student interns) understand the
ground-level social and economic challenges in local communities, fostering civic
engagement and social awareness.

2. ABOUT THE VILLAGE/WARD:

The field survey was conducted in Bishkhowa PT-IV, a village located in the
Dhubri district of Assam. The village primarily consists of agrarian families with
farming and daily-wage labor being the dominant occupations. The community
reflects a mixed demographic with people from various religious and caste
backgrounds living together. The infrastructure is moderately developed with basic
amenities like electricity, schools and hand pump or tube-well-based drinking water
systems. However, some families still lack access to proper sanitation and fresh
water.

3. DETAILS ABOUT THE SURVEY:

a) Questionnaires:
A structured questionnaire (attached as Annexure I) containing 21 questions
was used to collect data covering family demographics, health, income, sanitation,
and other socio-economic parameters.

b) Interview:
The questions, as in the Annexure I, were asked directly to the head of the
family or sometimes any responsible adult in the household. The interviews were
conducted in the local languages to ensure clarity and comfort for the respondents.

c) Observation:
In additions to interviews, visual observation of the surroundings, housing
structure, sanitation facilities, and domestic animals was carried out to verify and
complement the responses. d) Duration: The survey of 10 families of the village
Bishkhowa PT-IV was conducted over a span of 2 days.

4. DATA ANALYSIS (TABLE WISE):

The data collected from the socio-economic surveys was analyzed based on the
following key parameters. The tables below represent the summarized data
obtained from the households in the village namely Bishkhowa PT-IV
Table 1: General Demographics of Surveyed households.

Sl. Head of Religion & Family Male Female Children Boys Girls
NO. Family Caste Members (Total)
(Total)
1 KAMAL HINDU(SC) 4 3 1 1 1 0
CHANDRA
PODDAR
2 DINESH HINDU(OBC) 9 6 3 3 3 0
CHANDRA
ROY
3 BULBULI RAY HINDU(OBC) 8 2 6 3 0 3
4 TIRTHA HINDU(OBC) 3 2 0 1 1 1
KANTA ROY
5 DWIPENDRA HINDU(0BC) 3 1 2 1 0 1
NATAH RAY
6 BINAY HINDU(OBC) 6 4 2 3 3 0
KUMAR ROY
7 BACCHAMOYI HINDU(OBC) 6 1 5 3 1 2
RAY
8 SANTOSH HINDU(OBC) 3 3 0 2 2 0
KUMAR RAY
9 SHANTIMOYI HINDU(SC) 1 0 1 0 0 0
BISWAS
10 RAJEN HINDU(SC) 8 3 5 3 2 1
BISWAS

Head of Highest Unemployed School Boys Girls

Sl. Family Qualification in Graduates Going
No. the Family Children
(TOTAL)
1 KAMAL HS PASSED NIL 1 1 0
CHANDRA
PODDAR
2 DINESH BA PASSED 2 2 2 0
CHANDRA
ROY
3 BULBULI RAY M.A B.ED NIL 1 0 1
4 TIRTHA POLYTECHNIC NIL 0 0 0
KANTA ROY
 1

5 DWIPENDRA MATRIC NIL 1 0 1

NATAH RAY
6 BINAY M.A B.ED 1 0 0 0
KUMAR ROY
7 BACCHAMOYI HS PASSED NIL 1 0 1
RAY
8 SANTOSH BA PASSED 1 1 1 0
KUMAR RAY
9 SHANTIMOYI 6TH PASSED NIL 0 0 0
BISWAS
10 RAJEN HS PASSED NIL 2 1 1
BISWAS
 2

Sl. Head of Occupation of Monthly Paddy Farming

No. Family Head Income of the
Family in Rs.
1 KAMAL SOLDIER 50000 NO
CHANDRA
PODDAR
2 DINESH FARMER 10000 YES
CHANDRA ROY
3 BULBULI RAY HOUSEWIFE 50000 YES
4 TIRTHA KANTA EX TEACHER 37000 YES
ROY
5 DWIPENDRA SERVICE 50000 NO
NATAH RAY
6 BINAY KUMAR EX TEACHER 90000 NO
ROY
7 BACCHAMOYI HOUSEWIFE 6000 YES
RAY
8 SANTOSH PRIVATE 8000 YES
KUMAR RAY TEACHER
9 SHANTIMOYI HOUSEWIFE 1000 NO
BISWAS
10 RAJEN BISWAS LABOUR 1500 NO

Sl. Head of Drinking Sanitary Drainage Electricity Garbage

No. Family Water Toilet System Provision System
Source Provision
1 KAMAL HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
CHANDRA
PODDAR
2 DINESH HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
CHANDRA
ROY
3 BULBULI RAY HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
4 TIRTHA HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
KANTA ROY
5 DWIPENDRA HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
NATAH RAY
6 BINAY HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
KUMAR ROY
7 BACCHAMOYI HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
 3

RAY
8 SANTOSH HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
KUMAR RAY
9 SHANTIMOYI HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
BISWAS
10 RAJEN HANDPUMP YES NO YES NO
BISWAS
 4

Table 5: Housing Pattern and Health.

Sl. Head of Pattern of No. of person No. of Name of
No. Family House (live or dead) in Physically the
the Family with challenged Domestic
TB/Cancer/AIDS person in Animal
disease the Family
1 KAMAL RCC NIL NIL COWS
CHANDRA
PODDAR
2 DINESH RCC NIL NIL COWS
CHANDRA
ROY
3 BULBULI RAY RCC NIL NIL COWS
4 TIRTHA RCC NIL NIL COWS
KANTA ROY
5 DWIPENDRA RCC NIL NIL COWS
NATAH RAY
6 BINAY RCC NIL NIL COWS
KUMAR ROY
7 BACCHAMOYI RCC NIL NIL COWS
RAY
8 SANTOSH RCC NIL NIL COWS
KUMAR RAY
9 SHANTIMOYI OTHER NIL NIL COWS
BISWAS
10 RAJEN OTHER NIL NIL COWS
BISWAS

5. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE:
a) Population (Total Population & Sex Ratio):
A total of 10 households were surveyed in the village of Bishkhowa PT-IV,
covering 63 individuals. Out of these, 34 are males and 29 are females, giving a sex
ratio of 853 females per 1000 males. There are 33 children, showing that over half
of the population is young, with 18 boys and 15 girls.
b) Caste & Community:
All surveyed households belong to the Islam (General) community. This
indicates social homogeneity in terms of caste and religion within the surveyed
sample. No SC, ST, or OBC groups were encountered in the sample.
c) Literacy & Education:
Educational levels in the surveyed families vary from Class VI
 5

6. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION:

a) Occupation (Source of Income of Villagers):

Out of the 10 households: 9 heads of families are farmers, and 1 is employed in
government service. This shows that agriculture is the dominant occupation, with a
strong dependence on paddy cultivation. All but one family practices paddy farming.

b) Household Income & Expenditure:

Monthly income ranges from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 9000 for most farming households.
The governmentemployed household earns Rs. 40,000/month, indicating an income
disparity. Despite a few educated individuals, underemployment remains high,
reflecting limited job opportunities in the area.

7. INFRASTRUCTURE:

a) Type of Housing:
The survey conducted in Bishkhowa PT-IV reveals a varied housing pattern
among the 10 surveyed households. The majority of families (6 out of 10) reside in
traditional Assam-type houses, which are typically built using bamboo or wood with
tin roofs and raised platforms—designed to adapt to the region's climatic conditions.
Two households live in full wall (pucca) houses, constructed with bricks and concrete,
indicating a relatively higher standard of living and durability. The remaining two
families reside in thread houses, which likely refer to temporary or thatched (kutcha)
structures made from natural materials such as bamboo, straw, or mud. This
variation in housing reflects a blend of traditional and semipermanent living
conditions in the village, influenced by economic capacity and local building practices.

b) Water & Sanitation:

All households rely on hand pumps for drinking water. None of the households
have proper sanitary toilet or drainage systems, indicating severe infrastructure gaps
in hygiene and waste management.
 6

to graduation. Only two families have graduates (one even has both B.A. and
B.Sc.). A total of 21 school-going children were recorded — 11 girls and 10 boys —
indicating active school participation and balanced gender representation in
education. However, 8 unemployed educated youth were noted, suggesting a gap
between education and employment.

c) Electricity:
10 out of 10 households have electricity, showing near-complete coverage but
room for improvement.
d) Road & Transportation:
The village of Bishkhowa PT-IV has basic road connectivity. The main approach
roads are kutcha (unmetalled) in some parts and pucca (Metalled) in others,
especially near central locations. Most internal roads are narrow and become
difficult to navigate during the rainy season. Public transport services are Page | 5
limited — autos, tempos, and shared vehicles are the common modes of travel.
There is no direct bus service within the village, and residents often rely on nearby
town routes for access to markets, schools, and healthcare. Improved road
conditions and better transport options would greatly benefit the daily lives of
villagers.
e) Health & Education:
No instances of TB, AIDS, or cancer were reported in any household. No
physically challenged individuals were noted. However, absence of health facilities
was not documented, which may require further investigation in future surveys.

8. NATURAL RESOURCES & ENVIRONMENT:

a) Land Resource:
In the area surveyed, Bishkhowa PT-IV, land is the most vital resource, as 9 out
of 10 surveyed households depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Most families
possess small to medium-sized agricultural plots, primarily used for seasonal paddy
cultivation. The soil in the region is generally fertile, suitable for crops like rice and
vegetables. However, land fragmentation and the lack of modern irrigation systems
limit agricultural productivity. Farming is still largely dependent on rainfall, and
mechanized tools are rarely used, keeping productivity at a subsistence level. There
is a need for land development schemes, such as better irrigation, soil testing, and
training in modern farming techniques to improve crop yield and economic
conditions.

b) Water Resource:
In Bishkhowa PT-IV, the primary source of water for drinking and domestic use
is groundwater accessed through hand pumps. Every household surveyed relies on
hand pumps, indicating limited or no access to piped water supply. There were also
no reports of rainwater harvesting or community water storage systems, which
points to a gap in water conservation and modern water management practices.
During dry seasons, residents often experience a lowering of the water table, leading
to difficulty in fetching adequate water. This situation highlights the urgent need for
sustainable water solutions, such as rainwater harvesting, deeper borewells, or
government-supported piped water schemes to ensure consistent and safe water
 7

availability. c) Forest Resource: The village does not report any significant forest
cover or dependency on forest-based resources for livelihood. No forest collection
activities, such as firewood gathering or foraging, were documented in the survey.
However, all surveyed families maintain livestock, particularly cows and goats, which
indicates a semi-pastoral lifestyle. These animals serve as additional income sources
through milk production and occasional sale, forming a part of the Agro-pastoral
system. Despite the absence of forest-based activity, grazing land and fodder
availability are critical for sustaining livestock, which indirectly ties local
environmental resources to daily life.

9. CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION:

This micro-level community survey of 10 households in Bishkhowa PT-IV reveals
that the village represents a semi-rural settlement with a lifestyle predominantly
dependent on agriculture and livestock. Basic infrastructure like kutcha roads, hand
pumps, and Assam-type housing indicates that development is ongoing but limited in
reach. The lack of modern irrigation, healthcare, educational infrastructure, and
clean piped water supply are key concerns.

To improve the living standards in Bishkhowa PT-IV, the following recommendations

I would suggest:

 Implementation of piped water schemes and rainwater harvesting structures.


 Introduction of modern irrigation methods and farmer training programs.

 Investment in rural road development to enhance connectivity.

 Promotion of livestock health services and fodder development.

 Expansion of basic health and education infrastructure.

 A more extensive survey with a larger sample size could provide further insights
and assist local authorities in targeted policy implementation.