Having a kitchen in the house is a priority for an overwhelming majority of Malayalis, but safe drinking water remains a dream for more than 70 per cent of the households in the State while 3.8 per cent still defecate in the open.

The latest Census figures reveal that Kerala pales in comparison with most other States in access to piped drinking water. Only 29.3 per cent of the houses in the State are serviced by the water supply network and just 23.4 per cent get treated water.