A slum resident uses a toilet that opens into the water below as children swim in the water in north central Mumbai.—AFP

NEW DELHI: Indian census data has revealed that more homes in the country of 1.2 billion people have a telephone than a toilet.

The figures, collected during the 2011 census, shed a light on how India's rapid communication revolution has spread through society but that basic sanitation is still scarce.

Data unveiled late Tuesday said 47 per cent of the country's 330 million households have toilet facilities, but that 63 per cent of homes have telephone connections —mostly mobiles.

“Open defecation continues to be a big concern for the country as almost half of the population do it,” Census Commissioner C. Chandramouli told reporters.

The census also said that 30 per cent of homes have no electricity, 36 per cent have no water connection with people having to fetch their own, and only three percent have computers with Internet access.

Some 63 per cent of people use wood to cook, and television is the most popular mode of entertainment with 47 per cent of homes owning a set, the census reported.