social problem of india essay

Essay on Social Problems in India

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100 Words Essay on Social Problems in India

Introduction.

India, a diverse country, faces numerous social issues. These problems are deeply rooted in the country’s history, culture, and socio-economic conditions.

Poverty is a significant problem. Despite economic growth, a large population still lives below the poverty line. They lack basic necessities like food, shelter, and clothing.

Illiteracy is another major issue. Many children, especially in rural areas, do not have access to quality education. This hinders their future prospects.

Gender Inequality

Gender inequality is prevalent. Women often face discrimination, limiting their opportunities. This hampers social and economic progress.

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250 Words Essay on Social Problems in India

India, a diverse and culturally rich country, faces a multitude of social issues. These problems, deeply rooted in the socio-economic fabric of the nation, are a significant impediment to its growth and development.

Despite India’s rapid economic growth, poverty remains a pressing issue. The World Bank estimates that 22% of India’s population lives below the poverty line. Poverty not only leads to poor living conditions but also fuels other social issues like illiteracy and child labor.

Illiteracy is another major social problem. Even though the literacy rate has improved over the years, the quality of education remains a concern. Illiteracy fuels unemployment and social inequality, making it a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

India ranks low in gender equality indices. Discrimination, violence against women, and female foeticide are grim realities. The patriarchal mindset and societal norms often suppress women’s rights and opportunities.

Caste System

Addressing these social problems requires comprehensive efforts from the government, civil society, and individuals. Policies need to be effectively implemented, and societal attitudes must change. Only then can India truly progress towards an inclusive and equitable society.

500 Words Essay on Social Problems in India

India, a diverse and culturally rich nation, is not immune to social issues. Despite its vast resources and significant economic growth, it continues to grapple with numerous social problems that hinder its development and affect the lives of its citizens.

Illiteracy is another significant social problem in India. Despite the Right to Education Act, many children in India do not have access to quality education. This lack of education perpetuates poverty, as it limits individuals’ ability to secure well-paying jobs and improve their living conditions. Illiteracy also hampers social and economic progress at a national level.

Despite constitutional guarantees of gender equality, India continues to struggle with deep-seated gender biases. Women face numerous challenges, including lower wages, limited access to education, and widespread violence. The skewed sex ratio due to female foeticide is a grim reflection of the societal preference for male children. Empowering women and ensuring their equal participation in all aspects of life is crucial for India’s social and economic progress.

Caste-based Discrimination

Corruption is a pervasive social issue affecting India’s political, economic, and social fabric. It undermines trust in public institutions, hampers economic development, and perpetuates social inequality. Tackling corruption requires strong political will, effective legal mechanisms, and active citizen participation.

Addressing these social problems is crucial for India’s progress. It requires a multifaceted approach that includes effective government policies, active civil society participation, and a change in societal attitudes. Education, gender equality, and social justice should be at the forefront of this effort. While the task is enormous, the potential for change and progress is equally significant. By confronting these issues head-on, India can pave the way for a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous society.

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Essay on Social Problems

Essay Contents:

• Essay on Solving Social Problems

Essay # 1. Introduction to Social Problems :

India emerged as an independent nation-state on 15 th August 1947, after a long struggle against the British colonial yoke. The country is a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic with a parliamentary system of government. Though India has shown tremendous growth in all spheres of national life in the years after independence, yet many problems plague the everyday social life; the problems, many a time, are interrelated.

Poverty, Population, Pollution, Illiteracy, Corruption, Inequality, Gender discrimination, Terrorism, Communalism, Lack of Infrastructure, Unemployment, Regionalism, Casteism, Alcoholism, Drugs Abuse, Violence against Women are the major ones.

ADVERTISEMENTS: (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Essay # 2. Concept of Social Problems :

Contemporary Indian society is flecked with numerous issues that are labelled as social problems. Some of them are age-old, and some are of recent origin that have erupted owing to the change in global socio-political order.

A social problem, in general, is the condition which is not ideal and disrupts the balance of a society. A dictionary of sociology defines social problems as, “any undesirable condition or situation that is judged by an influential number of persons within a community to be intolerable and to require group action toward constructive reform”.

Another widely used definition specifies that “no condition, no matter how dramatic or shocking to someone else, is a social problem unless and until the values of a considerable number of people define it as a problem”.

Some of the other definitions of social problems given by sociologists are:

1. Horton and Leslie:

It is often defined as the condition which many people consider undesirable and wish to correct.

2. Lindbergh:

It is any deviant behaviour in a disapproved direction of such a degree that it exceeds the tolerance limit of the community.

3. L.K. Frank:

It is defined as any difficulty of misbehaviour of a fairly large number of persons which we wish to remove or correct.

4. Fuller and Mayer:

A social problem starts with the awakening of people in a given locality, with the realisation of certain cherished values that are threatened by the conditions which have become acute.

Emergence of Sociology as a Discipline :

Sociology has emerged as a discipline which systematically studies social behaviour or society, including its origins, development, organisation, networks, and institutions and problems. The American Sociological Association defines Sociology as “the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behaviour”. To a sociologist, a social problem is an issue that negatively affects a person’s state of being in a society.

To understand social problems, sociologists look “from outside” at individuals rather than looking them “from inside”, to examine the thoughts, cause, and action. This is due to the fact that for the sociologist, many problems that appear as personal are actually social problems, because personal experience in one way or another is influenced by social forces. Prominent American sociologist C. Wright Mills uses the term “sociological imagination” to refer to this ability to see the impact of social forces on individuals, especially on their private lives.

He argues that people must understand how extraneous factors contribute to individual situations. To understand this, we must apply sociological imagination— the ability to look beyond the individual as the only cause of action and see how society influences a person’s outcome. Mills noted that this macro (large-scale) point of view helps us understand how history and societal organisations influence people.

We often see social issues from our personal viewpoints, interpreting actions at face value, i.e. a micro (small- scale) view. Using only a micro point of view is detrimental to a holistic and genuine understanding of the world. It can negatively influence our understanding of events while applying sociological imagination, and considering that an individual might act and respond because of a number of reasons.

As Mills argued, the goal of sociology is to move beyond our own perceptions and toward a sociological imagination. Without connecting what we know about society to the individual, we run the risk of wrongly placing blame and misconstruing the way we interpret events.

The shift then is to look at social problems in relation to other aspects of society like economy, culture, or religion. The sociological imagination is stimulated by a willingness to view the social world from the perspective of others. It involves moving from thinking about the individual and his problems, and focusing on social, economic, and historical circumstances that produce the problem. Sociological study is not the same as our everyday “common sense.”

Essay # 3. Types of Social Problems :

Social problems are of diverse nature.

However, these diverse social problems can be broadly grouped under four categories:

1. Economic Factors :

These problems arise due to imbalance in economic distribution such as poverty, unemployment, etc.

2. Cultural Factors :

Problems that arise from established beliefs, values, traditions, laws, and languages of a nation or society fall under this category such as dowry, child marriage, juvenile delinquency, etc.

3. Biological Factors :

The problems that arise due to natural calamities, infectious diseases, famine, etc.

4. Psychological factors :

Problems that arise from ill mental and neurological health fall under this category.

Case (1964) has enumerated four types of social problems on the basis of their origin:

(i) Problems that are rooted in some aspect of the physical environment.

(ii) Problems that are inherent in the nature or distribution of the population involved.

(iii) Problems that result from poor social organisation.

(iv) Problems that evolve from a conflict of cultural values within the society.

Fuller and Myers have enlisted three types of problems:

(i) Physical Problems:

Though these are problems for the society, but their causes are not based on value conflicts, for example, floods and famines;

(ii) Ameliorative Problems:

There is consensus about the effects of these problems but there are differences pertaining to their solutions, for example, crime, poverty, and AIDS; and

(iii) Moral Problems:

There is no consensus pertaining to the nature or causes of these problems, for example, gambling, alcoholism, drug abuse, and divorce.

Essay # 4. Characteristics of Social Problems :

Social problems are serious to the extent that they undesirably alter the existing order of the society.

On the basis of the aforesaid discussion, we can identify the following characteristics of social problems:

1. All social problems are situations which have injurious consequences for society.

2. All social problems are deviations from the “ideal” situation.

3. All social problems have some common basis of origin.

4. All social problems are social and political in origin.

5. All social problems are caused by pathological social conditions.

6. All social problems are interconnected.

7. All social problems are social in their results—they affect all sections of society.

8. The responsibility for social problems is social—they require a collective approach for their solution.

9. Social problems occur in all societies.

A social problem does not exist for a society unless it is recognised by that society to exist. In not being aware of a social problem, a society does not perceive it, address it, discuss it, or do anything for eradicating it. So the crucial point is, identification of a particular issue by the society as a problem. History changes the definition of social problems. The issues that society considered major in the past are often not that important in the present.

For example, at one point in time a major concern in the United States was horse theft—obviously, this is no longer an issue. For example sati, child labour, illiteracy, child marriage, slavery, and religious conversion were not considered a malady in Indian history. But today, all of these are undesirable in contemporary India.

Essay # 5. Causes of Social Problems :

The causes of social problems may be three-fold but cannot be treated in isolation:

(i) Individual

(ii) Cultural

(iii) Structural.

The social evils that are plaguing our society today could hardly be catalogued. They are very uncountable in the true sense of the assertion.

Prominent among them are- juvenile delinquency; child abuse; escalating crime waves such as armed robbery; arson; fraud; drug peddling; currency trafficking; bribery and corruption; embezzlement of public funds; student and youth unrest; cultural violence; religious intolerance; boundary disputes; stark dishonesty; election rigging; coups and counter coups; lack of commitment to duty; examination malpractices; filthy and gross indiscipline; result racketeering; disrespect for other species; gross economic inequality; poverty; disease and hunger; widespread illiteracy; lack of gainful employment opportunities; open injustice; ostentatious spending; abuse of authority; hoarding of essential commodities; cheating and exploitation of the masses; discrimination and ethnic jingoism; inordinate ambition; cultism; lack of realisation of human potential; narrow education resulting in ill-informed citizens; civil wars; famine; drought and unchecked desertification; and human trafficking and child labour.

Essay # 6. Factors that Result in Social Problems :

James H. Reinhardt (1952) has recounted three factors in the development of social problems:

(1) Differentiation and Multiplication of Interests and Functions :

The principle that the greater the number of parts in a machine or an organism, the greater the probability of maladjustment among the parts holds good for human societies too, where there is increased opportunity for the collision of interests of various individuals, groups, institutions, and systems. Untouchability, communal riots, and political crimes are the social problems which is the result of the clash of interests of different castes and classes.

(2) Accelerating Frequency of Social Change or Growth of Civilisation :

This has been made possible due to the multiplication of scientific and mechanical innovations. For example, the invention of machines has destroyed many old forms of employment resulting in the migration of millions of people, and has given rise to class conflicts. It is thus the structural and functional maladjustments arising from revolutionary inventions which create many social problems.

(3) Man’s Developed Insight to Make a Scientific Analysis :

Ever since man has developed his social insight of looking into the working of nature, issues which were formerly regarded as simple are now perceived as the result of various kinds of natural conditions which influence man and society. .

Essay # 7. Reactions to Social Problems :

Different people react differently to social problems.

The differences may be explained in terms of the following four factors:

(i) An Attitude of Unconcern :

Many people and the State at times, remain indifferent to a problem, thinking that it does not affect them. At times, their own individual problems like family tensions and job pressures keep them so engaged that they do not find time to be interested in what affects others. It is only when their own interests are involved that they become agitated and start taking interest in the problem. The indifference and passivity of the State only add to the problem further.

(ii) Fatalism :

Some people are so fatalistic that they attribute everything to destiny. Issues like poverty and unemployment are also explained in terms of misfortune and past karma. They, therefore, suffer the misfortune quietly and wait for some miracle to happen.

(iii) Vested Interests :

Some people take no interest in the existing problems because they stand to gain so long as the problem exists. Motivated by self-interest, they describe the problem as insoluble and talk about its eradication as a waste of time.

(iv) Absence of Expert Knowledge :

Some people, though deeply concerned about the problem, do not take much interest in it believing that its solution is impossible unless people change their attitudes and values. As the changes must be initiated by a change in outlook, they remain unconcerned about finding alternative possibilities of treatment. Dowry is one such problem in our society.

Essay # 8. Solving Social Problems:

Although C. Wright Mills identified the relationship between a personal trouble and a public issue more than 50 years ago, less has been said about the transformation of an issue to a solution. Mills leads us in the right direction by identifying the relationship between public issues and social institutions. By continuing to use our sociological imagination and recognising the role of larger social, cultural, and structural forces, we can identify appropriate measures to address these social problems.

Let’s consider homelessness. It does not arise out of mysterious or special circumstances; it emerges out of familiar life experiences. The loss of a job, the illness of a family member, domestic violence, or divorce could make a family more susceptible to homelessness. Without informal social support, a savings account, or suitable and adequate employment—and with the increasing cost of healthcare and the lack of affordable housing—a family’s economic and emotional resources can quickly be tapped out.

What would it take to prevent homelessness in these situations? The answers are not based in each individual or each family; rather, the long-term solutions are structural solutions such as affordable healthcare, livable wages, and affordable low-income housing. In the US, President Franklin Roosevelt proposed sweeping social reforms during his New Deal in 1935, and President Johnson declared the War on Poverty in 1964. Solutions require social action—in the form of social policy, advocacy, and innovation—to address problems at their structural or individual levels.

Social innovation may take the form of a policy, a programme, or advocacy that features an untested or unique approach. Innovation usually starts at the community level, but it can grow into a national or international programme. The concept of “partnership housing” was developed by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1965, partnering those in need of adequate shelter with community volunteers to build simple interest-free houses. In India, recent initiative ‘Swachh Bharat’, ‘Digital India, ‘Make in India’ etc. are also unique social innovations that can transform Indian society in a big way.

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6 Major Social Issues in India: Causes and Measures

India suffers from a host of social issues ranging from poverty to gendered violence. This article covers the concept of social issues and highlights the different experiences of rural and urban sectors. Further, it studies six important social issues namely poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, the caste system, gendered violence and communalism by analyzing their causes and the specific measures adopted to combat them.

What Are Social Issues?

Rural versus urban social issues.

Many scholars have identified fundamental differences between the causes and consequences of issues experienced the rural and urban sectors.

The rural sector has five identifying characteristics. Firstly, people are either directly or indirectly dependent upon agriculture. Next, the upper caste citizens are the largest landholders. Thirdly, the roles and values of rural people are traditional. Also, the farmers receive inadequate compensation for their hard work. Finally, people are scattered in rural areas as compared to urban cities. This isolation means that their access to services like banks, hospitals and schools is also minimal.

On the other hand, the urban sector is characterized by the concentration of large populations in small areas. This results in many issues such as slums, high crime rates, pollution, drug abuse and unemployment. Also, cities are highly interdependent on every small part. For example, a strike by bus workers could result in many problems for the functioning of a city.

The sociologist David Elesh determined three causes of poverty namely individual, culture of poverty and social structure. The first ideology is propagated by those who believe that if an individual ends up in poverty, it is their own fault and due to a lack of hard work and initiative. This thought is rooted in the functionalist approach of sociology. It maintains that poverty is a good thing for society since it propagates the survival of the fittest. The culture of poverty concept was introduced in 1959 by Oscar Lewis. He believed that the lifestyle of the lower socio-economic classes fostered behaviours and attitudes associated with poverty. Hence, no amount of economic rehabilitation could help alleviate the poor. Finally, the social structure approach was propagated by sociologist Herbert Gans . He associated poverty with unjust social conditions and pointed out that the middle and higher classes had a vested interest in the poor. For example, the existence of the poor helped alleviate their social status. Thus, they had no interest in changing the social structure (Ahuja 2014).

The Indian government has launched many poverty alleviation programs for the rural and urban poor. A few major schemes have been described below. The Indira Awaas Yojna (IAY) was launched to aid the construction of houses for those belonging to scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, freed bonded laborers and the rural poor living below the poverty line. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) was introduced in 2005 all over India. Under this scheme, every rural household was guaranteed 100 days of wage employment in the form of unskilled manual labor each fiscal year. Finally, the food security scheme introduced in 2003 distributed allocated amounts of food grains to priority and antyodya households for free. This scheme covered almost 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population (Ahuja 2014).

Unemployment

Unemployment has often been described as the most significant social issue in society. This is because an individual is dependent on their work for both their livelihood and their status. Sociologically, unemployment is defined as the inability to find remunerative work in the face of both potential and desire to earn. The three elements of unemployment are that the individual must be capable, willing and making an effort to be gainfully employed.

There are three major classifications of unemployment, namely, seasonal, cyclical and technological.

Cyclical unemployment is a result of the ups and downs in business. For example, an entrepreneur earning high profits might invest them in a startup thus creating employment. But when they start suffering losses, they might reduce the number of workers present in their industries.

Technological unemployment is caused because of the introduction of new technologies that displace manual labor. The adoption of automation in almost every industry has resulted in a loss of economic security for the average man (Ahuja 2014).

Degrading social status means that many people consider themselves overqualified for certain jobs and thus prefer to remain unemployed. For example, many youths consider teaching in universities to be a prestigious job whereas teaching in a school is looked down upon.

The defective education system fails to give importance to primary education and vocational training. The benefits of education are mostly availed only by middle- and high-income youth with access to private schools and universities. The conditions in most government schools are unsuitable for studying and are often a result for many girls to drop out (Ahuja 2014).

Unemployment: Definition, Types, Causes, Solutions and The Way Ahead

Many programs have been introduced by the government in accordance with the education policies of India. A few of these have been mentioned below.

Caste System

Dalit Empowerment Measures

The government’s approach towards the upliftment of SCs was based on two ideas. The first was to overcome deprivations in terms of education, housing and employment that the SCs have inherited due to their historical exclusion from society. The second was to encourage their participation in the economic, social and political processes of the country.

Development measures were introduced within the educational, economic and social spheres. To increase educational development the government has attempted to include reservations within educational institutions, provide financial support and coaching facilities and emphasized on girls education. Economic empowerment includes distribution of land to landless laborers and implementation of wage labor programs. Finally, social welfare schemes to increase access to sanitation, housing, drinking water and electricity have been introduced by the government (Thorat 2009).

Gendered Violence

Women have always been victims of exploitation and violence within the Indian subcontinent. Violence against women consists of criminal, domestic and social violence. Criminal violence consists of rape, murder, female foeticide and abduction. Domestic violence includes wife battering, dowry deaths and sexual violence. Social violence comprises eve-teasing, inheritance laws favouring men etc.

The government in collaboration with volunteer organizations has taken a few steps for the safety of women. Shelters for women suffering from abusive husbands or in-laws have been established. But such accommodations suffer from issues of overcrowding and a lack of financial support. Helplines for women have been publicized by the police in various cities such as New Delhi. Legal institutions that provide free legal assistance to women have also been promoted by the government. But despite all these measures, the most important change that is required to combat women’s harassment is a change in attitude. The patriarchal society of India has oppressed women for too long. This pattern needs to change by taking small steps such as ending victim-blaming for sexual and violent assaults.

Communalism

Communalism refers to attempts to overemphasize the importance of religious identity and stimulate communal violence between different religious groups. Within India, tensions between Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs have been present since the India-Pakistan partition. Muslims, Sikhs and other religious minorities are protected by the Indian constitution under provisions for justice, tolerance, equality and freedom. Despite these provisions, communal violence has been a part of India since independence. The recent case of the Babri Masjid and associated riots is a popular example of religious discord. Violence can take many forms of mass mobilizations, insurgency and riots. Usually, communal violence is more politically motivated than fueled by religion. Hindu- Muslim riots in Andhra Pradesh in 1990 led to more than a hundred deaths (Ahuja 2014).

India has suffered at the hands of communalism for too long. The government and the citizens must work together towards harmony. Symbolic gestures are not enough for Muslims as they must be empowered through literacy and employment. Secularism must be promoted through education. Moreover, communal minded politicians should be boycotted during elections and the police and military must be sensitized and encouraged to adopt a secular outlook.

Ahuja, R. (2014).  Social problems in India . Jaipur: Rawat Publications.

Arushi is a sociology and environmental studies. She is passionate about writing and researching about these two fields. She has a keen interest in social work and has collaborated with many volunteering programs in the past. Her hobbies include horse riding, trekking and painting.

Essay on Social Issues in India for Students in 2000 Words

On this page, you will read an Essay on Social Issues in India for Students in 2000 Words. In India and Every society has specific problems that commonly refer to social issues or social problems. It is a problem that affects a significant percentage of the population or community in a country or world.

Table of Contents

What are Social Issues?

The drawback of all social issues.

There are many drawbacks to all social issues. This includes:

Major Social Issues in India

1. the caste system.

The caste system is a system for determining the class or assigning a status to people from birth. The causes, effects, and solutions of the caste system in India are described below:

The caste system has many disadvantages, such as:

When resources and opportunities are limited, and the population is high, there is an unemployment situation that ultimately leads to poverty.

3. Child labor

Child labor is a system of involving children in any business activity. Child labor means involving underage children. The main reasons for child labor in India are:

The primary solution to the problem of child labor is:

4. Illiteracy

Most illiterate people are unaware of the advantages of maintaining cleanliness and hygiene . Illiterates have difficulty in getting a good job and earning. Overpopulation is a massive increase in the number of people and is causing by some factors.

5. The dowry system

The bride’s family, which usually belongs to the middle and low classes, face its bitter side. Parents often take out a loan for their daughter’s marriage. Most times, observing the lousy situation of their parents, the bride becomes mentally affected. Sometimes psychological torture caused by dowry leads to suicidal tendencies.

6. Religious conflicts:

7. children’s marriage.

Second, economically weak and large families encourage this practice because it helps to send girls early. While the boy’s marriage provides additional help in household and business operations.

8. Gender Inequality

In all areas of men-dominated society, including the structure of the state, the education system, the health care system, security forces, and the judiciary, there is a male culture and a sense of power.

9. Domestic violence against women

Other forms of physical abuse of women also include beating, grabbing, burdening them with bullying, public humiliation, and neglecting health problems.

10. Starvation

11. terrorism.

To eliminate the threat that terrorism poses to democracy , the United States and its allies should continue to emphasize sharing intelligence and make such efforts.

12. Sexual harassment and the violation of women’s rights

13. sexual exploitation of children, 14. untouchability.

This is a practice in which people from the lower caste are kept far away, deprived of social equality and suffering from touch disabilities. These are considered contaminating or polluting the people of the higher castes.

15. Child trafficking

16. overpopulation, conclusion of essay on social issues in india.

Society can solve social issues themselves. These issues make up a barrier to the progress of society, which is why we should work together to end them. If we do not unite against them, social issues will continue to grow. It can be solved only through mass consciousness, education, humanity, and a positive attitude.

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Cultural India

Poverty in india: causes, effects and solutions.

“Poverty is humiliation, the sense of being dependent on them, and of being forced to accept rudeness, insults, and indifference when we seek help.” —Latvia 1998

In the simplest term, poverty may be defined as a social condition where individuals do not have financial means to meet the most basic standards of life that is acceptable by the society. Individuals experiencing poverty do not have the means to pay for basic needs of daily life like food, clothes and shelter.

Poverty also staves people off from accessing much needed social tools of well-being like education and health requirements. The direct consequences stemming from this problem are hunger, malnutrition and susceptibility to diseases which have been identified as major problems across the world. It impacts individuals in a socio-psychological way with them not being able to afford simple recreational activities and getting progressively marginalized in the society.

The term poverty is interconnected with the notion of the poverty line/ threshold that may be defined as the minimum figure of income that is required in a particular country for maintaining the socially acceptable quality of life in terms of nutritional, clothing and sheltering needs. The World Bank has updated its international poverty line figures to 1.90 USD (Rs. 123.5) per day on October 2015 (based on prices of commodities in year 2011-2012), from 1.5 USD(Rs. 81) as a response to the changes in the cost of living across the world as per current economy. The organization estimates that – “Just over 900 million people globally lived under this line in 2012 (based on the latest available data), and we project that in 2015, just over 700 million are living in extreme poverty.”

Poverty is a worldwide cause of concern even in economically stable countries like the USA. Current statistics state that over half the populations in the world, about 3 billion people, are forced to live on less than 2.5 dollars per day. In India, as per 2014 government reports, monthly per capita consumption expenditure is Rs. 972 per person in rural areas and Rs. 1407 per person in urban areas. This data is currently being accepted as the poverty threshold of the country. As of 2015, 21.9% of the total population lives below the national poverty threshold, as per the data of Asian Development Bank, that’s a whopping 269.7 million individuals not having enough money.

Causes of Poverty in India

Factors contributing to the persistent problem of poverty in the country are many and they need to be identified in order to be addressed properly. They can be categorized under the following heads.

1. Demographic – the main factor that contributes to poverty-ridden state of the country from a demographical point of view is the problem of over population. The growth of population in the country has so far exceeded the growth in economy and the gross result is that the poverty figures have remained more or less consistent. In rural areas, size of the families is bigger and that translates into lowering the per capita income values and ultimately lowering of standard of living. Population growth spurt also leads to generation of unemployment and that means diluting out of wages for jobs further lowering income.

2. Economic –there are a host of economic reasons behind persistence of the poverty problems which are outlined hereunder:-

a. Poor Agricultural Infrastructure –Agriculture is the backbone of Indian economy. But outdated farming practices, lack of proper irrigation infrastructure and even lack of formal knowledge of crop handling has affected the productivity in this sector tremendously. As a consequence there is redundancy and sometimes complete lack of work leading to decreased wages that is insufficient for meeting daily needs of a labourer’s family plunging them into poverty.

b. Unequal distribution of assets – with the economy changing directions rapidly, the earning structure evolves differently in different economic income groups. Upper and middle income groups see a faster increase in earnings than lower income groups. Also assets like land, cattle as well as realty are distributed disproportionately among the population with certain people owning majority shares than other sectors of the society and their profits from these assets are also unequally distributed. In India it is said that 80% wealth in the country is controlled by just 20% of the population.

c. Unemployment – another major economic factor that is causative of poverty in the country is the rising unemployment rate. Unemployment rates is high in India and according to a 2015 survey data, at the all-India level, 77% of families do not have a regular source of income.

d. Inflation and Price hike – the term Inflation may be defined as an increase in prices of commodities coinciding with the fall in the purchasing value of money. As a direct consequence of inflation, effective price of food, clothing items as well as real estate rises. The salaries and wages do not rise as much in keeping up with the inflated prices of commodities leading to effective decrease of the per capita income.

e. Faulty economic liberalization – the LPG (Liberalization-Privatization-Globalization) attempts initiated by the Indian Government in 1991 were directed towards making the economy more suited to international market-trends to invite foreign investments. Successful to certain extent in reviving the economy, the economic reforms had detrimental effects on increasing the wealth distribution scenario. Rich became richer, while the poor remained poor.

3. Social – The various social issues plaguing the country that contributes towards poverty are:-

a. Education and illiteracy – Education, rather its lack thereof and poverty form a vicious cycle that plagues the nation. Not having enough resources to feed their children, the poor consider education to be frivolous, preferring children to start contributing to the family’s income rather than draining them. On the other hand, lack of education and illiteracy prevent individuals from getting better paying jobs and they get stuck at jobs offering minimum wages. Improvement of quality of life gets hindered and the cycle once again comes into action.

b. Outdated Social Customs – Social customs like the caste system cause segregation and marginalization of certain sections of the society. Certain castes are considered untouchables still and are not employed by upper caste, leaving very specific and low paying jobs that they can live off. Economist K. V. Verghese put forth the problem in a very lucid language, “Caste system acted as a spring­board for class exploitation with the result that the counterpart of the poverty of the many is the opulence of the few. The second is the cause of the first.”

c. Lack of skilled labour – lack of adequate vocational training makes the huge labour force available in India largely unskilled, which is unsuitable for offering maximum economic value. Lack of education, much less higher education, is also a contributing factor towards this.

d. Gender inequality –the weak status attached with women, deep-rooted social marginalization and long embedded perceptions of domesticity renders about 50% of the country’s population unable to work. As a result the women of the family add to the number of dependents that need to be fed instead of being able to contribute considerably in the family income which might assuage the poverty situation of the family.

e. Corruption – despite considerable efforts from the government in the forms of various schemes to mollify the poverty situation, allegedly only 30-35% actually reaches the beneficiaries due to wide-spread practices of corruption in the country. Wealthy people with privileged connection are able to acquire more wealth simply by bribing government officials to maximize their profits from such schemes while the poor remain in a state of neglect for not being able to assert such connections.

4. Individual – individual lack of efforts also contribute towards generating poverty. Some people are unwilling to work hard or even not willing to work altogether, leaving their families in the darkness of poverty. Personal demons like drinking and gambling also leads to draining of the family income inciting poverty.

5. Political – in India, socio-economic reform strategies has been largely directed by political interest and are implemented to serve a choice section of the society that is potentially a deciding factor in the elections. As a result, the issue is not addressed in its entirety leaving much scope of improvements.

6. Climatic – maximum portion of India experiences a tropical climate throughout the year that is not conducive to hard manual labour leading to lowering of productivity and the wages suffer consequently.

Effects of Poverty

The resounding effect of poverty echoes through various layers of an India citizen’s life. If we try to have a systematic look at them, we should proceed under the three following heads:-

1. Effect on Health – one of the most devastating effects that poverty has is on the overall health of the nation. The most prominent health issue stemming from poverty is malnutrition. The problem of malnutrition is widespread in all age-groups of the country but children are most adversely affected by this. Limited income in larger families leads to lack of access to sufficient nutritious food for their children. These children over time suffer from severe health problems like low body weight, mental, physical disabilities and a general poor state of immunity making them susceptible to diseases. Children from poor backgrounds are twice as susceptible to suffer from anemia, nutrient deficiencies, impaired vision, and even cardiac problems. Malnutrition is a gross contributor of infant mortality in the country and 38 out of every 1,000 babies born in India die before their first birthday. Malnutrition among adult also leads to poor health in adults that leaches their capacity for manual labour leading to a decrease in income due to weakness and diseases. Poverty also causes definite decline in the sanitary practices among poor who cannot afford proper bathrooms and disinfectants. As a result susceptibility to waterborne diseases peak among the poor. Lack of access to as well as means to procure appropriate treatment also affects overall mortality of the population which is lower in poor countries than developed nations like the USA.

2. Effects on Society – poverty exerts some gravely concerning effects over the overall societal health as well. These may be discussed along the following lines:-

a. Violence and crime rate – incidence of violence and crime have been found to be geographically coincident. In a backdrop of unemployment and marginalization, the poor resort to criminal activities to earn money. Coupled with lack of education and properly formed moral conscience, a poverty ridden society is more susceptible to violence by its people against its own people from a sense of deep-seated discontent and rage.

b. Homelessness – apart from a definite drop in the esthetic representation of the country, homelessness affects child health, women safety and overall increase in criminal tendencies.

c. Stress – lack of money is a major cause of stress among the middle-class and the poor and leads to decline in productivity of individuals.

d. Child labour – one of the hallmarks of a poverty-ridden society is the widespread practices of exploitation and the worst of it comes in the form of child labour. Large families fail to meet the monetary needs of the members and children as young as 5 years are made to start earning in order to contribute to the family income.

e. Terrorism – proclivity of youth towards terrorism stems from a combination of extreme poverty and lack of education making them susceptible to brainwashing. Terrorist organizations offer poverty-ridden families money in exchange for a member’s participation in their activities which induces a sense of accomplishment among the youth.

3. Effect on Economy –poverty is a direct index indicating success of the economy of the country. The number of people living under the poverty threshold indicates whether the economy is powerful enough to generate adequate jobs and amenities for its people. Schemes providing subsidies for the poor of the country again impose a drain on the economy.

The measures that should be taken to fight the demon of poverty in India are outlined below:-

1. Growth of population at the current rate should be checked by implementation of policies and awareness promoting birth control.

2. All efforts should be made to increase the employment opportunities in the country, either by inviting more foreign investments or by encouraging self-employment schemes.

3. Measures should be taken to bridge the immense gap that remains in distribution in wealth among different levels of the society.

4. Certain Indian states are more poverty stricken than others like Odhisha and the North East states. Government should seek to encourage investment in these states by offering special concessions on taxes.

5. Primary needs of people for attaining a satisfactory quality of life like food items, clean drinking water should be available more readily. Improvement of the Subsidy rates on commodities and Public Distribution system should be made. Free high school education and an increased number of functioning health centers should be provided by the government.

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Essay On Social Issues | Social Issues Essay for Students and Children in English

February 24, 2023 by Prasanna

Essay On Social Issues:  India is a diverse country with people from various walks of life, with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. There are mostly 9 main religions and various sub-castes in each of them. With 28 states and 8 union territories, India is truly is a glorification of unity in diversity.

But the phrase unity in diversity is usually misconstrued as if everything is hunky-dory in India. There is no country in the world that does not face problems, especially social issues and India is no different. In this essay on social issues, we will be talking about the various social issues that India and many parts of the world face in 2020.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Social Issues for Students and Kids in English

You can find below examples of 600-word long essay on social issues and 200-word short essay on social issues in English. This can be used by schoolchildren and students of class 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 for their essay writing, exam, test, assignment and project work.

Long Essay on Social Issues 600 Words in Engllish

India is a country with 28 states and 8 union territories made up of people following 9 main religions and speaking more than 22 languages across the length and breadth of the country. To assume that everything is fine in a country with 140 crore population and so much of diversity is not only illogical but also an unprecedented amount of ignorance on our part.

There are plenty of social issues that India faces and in this essay on social issues, we are going to discuss the main issues pertaining to India

What are the social issues that India faces?

The following are the mainstream social issues that India faces even in 2020

• Communalism: The political class of India has always followed the divide and rule policy. This policy was inherited from the British and is unfortunately followed by the ruling class even today. And what is more unfortunate is people fall into this trap every 5 years during the election time. Dividing people of the basis of caste and communal lines in usually referred to as communalism. Inciting hatred and bigotry between different sections of people by hate-mongering and provocative speeches lead to violence and unrest. India has seen some worst communal riots in recent times like the 1991 Mumbai riots, Ayodhya riots, 2002 Godhra riots and the 2020 Delhi riots.
• Poverty: There are millions of Indin who are BPL (Below Poverty Line) cardholders. While the government has been trying to provide them with food, every government since the time India achieved her independence, has miserably failed to lift people out of poverty. Crores of families in India are daily wage labourers who can easily be trapped into the poverty of they don’t work even for one day. The issue of poverty has been highlighted and been flashed into our faces during the COVID-19 pandemic when the country was under lockdown for 2 months. Millions of people, with lack of livelihood and food, were on the verge of starvation.
• Gender Discrimination: The pay gap between a male and a female employee, lack of adequate representation of female leaders in parliament, dowry harassment, lack of equal opportunities both in private and public sector jobs and social stereotypes and stigmas attached with the concept of gender has been a challenging problem for our country from many years. In spite of a separate ministry formed for empowering women in the country, due to lack of educational and social awareness, women have been mistreated in the country both in public and private spaces.
• Female Foeticide: India has banned the medical facility from disclosing the gender of the baby before its birth. This was a highly required policy in a country where female foeticide is at an all-time high. Killing of babies inside a womb because the gender of the baby is female, is considered to be a crime in the country. And in spite of strict law and order in place, female foeticide continues to exist in India. The reason behind this is a false social stigma associated with girls in the country assuming that girls are a financial and social burden for the parents. Proper educational and awareness, campaigns need to be conducted, especially in rural India to educate people about the importance of a girl child in a family.
• Illiteracy: In spite of providing free primary and secondary education, the illiteracy rate in India is very high. This is especially true in economically backward areas where parents would prefer sending their kids to work and earn money than sending them to school. They feel that school and studying can’t earn them a livelihood. Proper awareness has to be created regarding the importance of education in a child’s life to encourage parents to send their kids to schools.
• Corruption: From 2g scam to CWG scam and Satyam Scam, India has seen corruption scandal, both in public and private sector, worth thousands of crores. Corruption has slowed down our economic prosperity and resulted in a lot of black money stashed abroad. Corruption has impacted the development of India. Proper policies and laws should be in place to stop and reduce corruption in India.

Short Essay on Social Issues 200 Words in English

Find below a 200-word short essay on social issues in English. This can be used by schoolchildren and students of classes 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 for their essay writing, exam, test, assignment and project work.

Social issues are those issues in a country that proves harm to its social and cultural fabric. Gender discrimination, racism, female infanticide, communalism and hatred are some of the burning social issues in certain countries. But when we consider the planet as a whole, global warming, climate change, deforestation, terrorism, plastic explosion, population expansion and racism can be considered as few burning issues that require international communities to come together to find a long-lasting, solid and a robust solution.

No country exists is without any social issues. Certain social issues can change the course and dynamics of a country or a whole community. Racism created a strong movement and produced revolutionary and visionary leaders like Nelson Mandela. Corruption scandals like the Watergate scandal change the politics of America and communalism issues like the Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri Masjid case changed the secular fabric of India.

Now that we are in the 21st century, the people have to rise above the hate and bigotry in society and solve the social issues, along with the help of the government, for a prosperous and a better tomorrow for our next generation.

10 Lines on Social Issues Essay

• Social issues are a problem that influences the common citizen of a country.
• Social issues can be part of our traditions and cultural stereotypes.
• Every country in the world faces different social issues like racism, global warming, corruption or illiteracy
• More than 29% of Indians live in poverty.
• Few of the burning social issues in India are communalism, racism, gender discrimination and corruption.
• Social issues, if not resolved, can lead to violence and anarchy.
• In 21st centre, digital bullying and online harassment is a new form of social issue.
• Privacy concerns, snooping and hacking are other social issues that have popped up due to the advent of the internet around the world.
• Starvation is one of the most horrifying and brutal social issues that humanity faces.
• Economic inequality leads to poverty.

FAQ’s on Essay On Social Issues

Question 1. What are the main social issues in India?

Answer: Corruption, illiteracy, communalism and poverty are the main social issues in India

Question 2. IS COVID-19 pandemic a social issue?

Answer: Since coronavirus has affected our lives world over, it is the number one social issue that each and every country is facing today

Question 3. When is the world’s day of social justice?

Answer: February 20th is celebrated as the world day of social justice every year

Question 4. Which social issue can be the end of the world?

Answer: Nuclear was and race for nuclear armaments between countries is one big social issue that is capable of ending the world as we know it

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Social Issues in India

India is an ancient country and according to some estimates, Indian civilization is about five thousand years of age. Therefore, it is natural that its society will also be very old and complex. Throughout its long period of history, India has witnessed and received several waves of immigrants such as Aryans, Muslims etc. These people brought with themselves their own ethnic varieties and cultures and contributed to India’s diversity, richness and vitality.

Therefore, Indian society is a complex mix of diverse cultures, people, beliefs and languages which may have come from anywhere but now is a part of this vast country. This complexity and richness gives Indian society a unique appearance of a very vibrant and colorful cultural country.

Major Problems in India

• Untouchability
• Overpopulation

Child Marriage

Child Labour

• Gender Inequality
• Domestic Violence against Women
• Sexual Violence against Women
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
• Child Sexual Abuse
• Communalism
• Religious Violence
• Marital Rape
• Child Trafficking
• Bonded Labour

Reasons of Social Problems:

But the very same complexity brings with itself complex nature of social problems and issues. In fact every society of the world has their social issues unique to their society. So does Indian society. Indian society is very rooted in religious beliefs; there are people of different religious beliefs such as Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis etc. These all adds to the socio-cultural varieties of the country. India’s social problems are also rooted in the religious practices and beliefs of it people. Almost all forms of social issues and problems find their origin in the religious and cultural practices of the people of India. These social problems are developed in a long period of times and are still continuing in one form or other.

Furthermore, India has witnessed several wars of large proportions; several foreign invaders attacked India in its long history among whom few made this country as their own and tried to force their socio-religious practices which also deteriorated social conditions; the long period of British rule crippled the country and had thrown it into backwardness. Thus, many such reasons may be cited for India’s social problems but the fact remains that we have these issues and only we can solve them.

Forms of Social Issues in India

Poverty is a condition in which a household is not able to fulfill its basic needs for survival i.e. food, clothing and shelter. Poverty is a widespread condition in India. Since Independence, poverty is a prevalent concern. It is the twenty-first century and poverty still is a persistent menace in the country. India happens to be country wherein the disparities between the haves and the have-notes are extremely wide. It needs to be taken into account that although the economy has shown some visible signs of progress in the last two decades, this progress been uneven across various sectors or areas. The growth rates are higher in Gujarat and Delhi as compared to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nearly half of the population doesn’t have proper shelter, access to a decent sanitation system, villages do not have a nearby water source, and villages also do not have a secondary school and lack of proper roads. Some sections of the society like the Dalits are not even included in the poverty list maintained by the concerned authorities assigned by the government. They’re groups that are marginalized in the society.

The element which further complicates and deteriorates the situation is the government subsidies system which has leakages in the distribution system. They never reach the households.

Illiteracy is a condition which becomes a blot on the development of nation. India possesses the largest illiterate population. Illiteracy in India is a problem which has complex dimensions attached to it. Illiteracy in India is more or less concerned with different forms of disparities that exist in the country. There are gender imbalances, income imbalances, state imbalances, caste imbalances, technological barriers which shape the literacy rates that exist in the country. The Indian government though has launched several schemes to combat the menace of illiteracy but due to the poor conditions of sanitation and expensive private education and defective mid-day meal schemes, illiteracy still prevails. Not only the government, but every literate person needs to accept the eradication of illiteracy as a personal goal. Each and every contribution by a literate person can make a contribution to eradicate the menace.

According to the United Nations report, India has the second highest number of child marriages. Marriage is considered to be a sacred union between two mature and consenting individuals who are ready to accept each other and share responsibilities for a lifetime. With respect to this context, child marriages happen to be an unsound institution. Child marriage mars the innocence of childhood. The Indian Constitution provides for prohibitions against child marriage through various laws and enactments. The first law that was designed was the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 which extended to the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir. This act defines the ages of an adult male and female. Also, sex with minors is a criminal offence under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code. Proper media sensitization is required for a major change to take place. While on one hand, it is stated that child marriage will still take nearly fifty years to be eradicated, genuine efforts, strict enforcements of the legal provisions and change the scenarios to a great extent.

Starvation is a condition characterized by the deficiency in calorie energy intake and is a serious form of malnutrition which ultimately leads to death if not taken care about. Historically, starvation has been constant across various human cultures apart from India. Starvation can take place in a country due to many reasons like war, famine, the disparities between the rich and the poor and so on. Malnutrition conditions like kwashiorkor and marasmus can also develop into serious causes of starvation. Generally, the conditions of kwashiorkor and marasmus arise when people are taking diets which are not rich in nutrients (proteins, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats and fiber). In the context of India, it becomes needless to say that the food distribution system is flawed. The Supreme Court has issued orders over the past decades directing the government to take measures like mid-day meal schemes and the provision of health care schemes for pregnant and lactating women. The National Food Security Bill which has become a landmark act does seem to show promises with respect to its measures of the identification of the poor and the needy, redressal mechanisms for grievances and children’s entitlements. But, this bill also is not without its cons. Clear mechanisms with respect to the identification of beneficiaries have not been defined. The indicators of the poor need to be made specific. They are vague in description.

Child labour typically means the employment of children in any work with or without payment. Child labour is not only limited to India, it happens to be a global phenomenon. As far as India is concerned, the issue is a vicious one as children in India have historically been helping parents at their farms and other primitive activities. Over population, illiteracy, poverty, debt trap are some of the common causes which are instrumental in this issue. Overburdened, debt-trapped parents fail to understand the importance of a normal childhood under the pressures of their own troubles and thus it leads to the poor emotional and mental balance of a child’s brain which is not prepared to undertake rigorous field or domestic tasks. Multinational companies also recruit children in garment industries for more work and less pay which is absolutely unethical. Child labour as a global concern has been raised on international platforms as well. Abolition of child trafficking , elimination of poverty, free and compulsory education, and basic standards of living can reduce the problem to a great extent. The World Band, International Monetary Fund can help in eradicating poverty by providing loan to the developing countries. Strict implementation of labour laws is also essential in order to prevent exploitation by parties or multinational companies.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is still considered a ‘taboo’ in India. India today is one of the fastest developing nations with impressive economic growth rates. But is the growth rate enough to imply that India is a developing nation. A nation is also characterized by the way it treats its people. With respect to this prerogative, the way India looks at homosexuality is certainly not the way to look at it. Homosexuality is considered as a disease by most sections of the society and there are only a few sections of the society who welcome homosexuality. Homosexuality thus is also regarded as a criminal offence in India. Homosexuality is a ‘criminal offence’ under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code dating back to 1861 with punishments up to ten years which makes it all the more hard to believe that India is a progressive nation and that we are the 21 st century  inhabitants of the country. Although, this subject did see the light of the day when the Delhi High Court legalized gay sex among consenting adults holding that making it a criminal offence violates fundamental human rights way back in the year 2009 as a result of persuasive struggles carried out by Gay Rights activists and foundations.

In December 2013, the Supreme Court passed a controversial order making gay sex illegal quashing the Delhi High Court’s decision on the matter. In January 2014, the Supreme Court also refused to review the petition against its order on gay sex being criminalized. Needless to remark, the refusal drew flak internationally for violating fundamental rights. To sum up, homosexuality needs tolerance both by the country and its citizens. It is certainly not a disease hence it doesn’t require any treatment. According to my viewpoint, the organizations which have been instrumental with the emancipation of the LGBT community (Example- Naz Foundation) should continue with their protests because slowly but surely people are changing their perceptions towards this subject.

Other varied forms of social problems related to issues such as Casteism , Untouchability , Bonded Labour ,  Gender Inequality , Dowry , Domestic Violence against Women , Sexual Violence against Women ,  Child Sexual Abuse ,  Communalism , Religious Violence , Issues related to SC/STs,  Marital Rape , Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace , Child Trafficking , Overpopulation etc.

The list may go on and it is not a comprehensive list. There are several other social issues and problems ailing the country but above mentioned ones are really pressing issues which need immediate attention.

It is not so that social ills have not been fought with; in fact from the ancients times in our country there have been various social-cultural reformers such as Budha, Mahavira, Kabir, Gurunanak, Raja Ram Mohun Roy, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar, Vinoba Bhave etc who have tried to fight those evils throughout their lives; they have succeeded also to a certain extent. But still the country is facing these socio-cultural problems in various degrees which is an unfortunate reality of 21 st century India.

Present Scenario:

We try to present our country as a modern, forward looking nation of the world and it’s true that India is making strides in the world as a nation with encouraging developments in scientific, economic and technological fields, but as far as social developments are concerned it is still one of the lowest ranked countries of the world. India’s Human Development Index (HDI) rank for 2013 is 135 out of 187 countries of the world which are listed in the report. This shows the sorry state of affairs as far as India’s situation on social indicators is concerned. This also shows that we as a society are still people of orthodox beliefs in a negative sense who do not want to believe in the concept of equality and brotherhood of all.

Though several Governmental and non-governmental (NGOs) bodies are working towards improving the existing situation in the social fields but results are not very encouraging. Perhaps the problem lies in the very deep rooted beliefs in the minds of people of the country which is not letting the situation to change. For instance : the issue of Female Feticides is one of the shameful practices in our country. Though there are various prohibitory measures the Government and NGOs have taken but the practice is continuing. The real reason for this is the Patriarchy system of society of our country which considers male as the superior authority and women as subordinate to them. Therefore, very strong desire of having a male child in comparison to female child led to the shameful practice of female feticides. Thus, it is belief system or the cultural conditioning of the people which is not letting the society to change at a fast pace.

Though there have been several positive changes in the society such as now girls are also going to school in vast majority and their employment ratio is also increasing; illiteracy as whole is decreasing; conditions of SC/STs are also improving etc but situation is far from satisfactory.

We witness inequality against women in our own homes, sexual violence against women can be heard on daily basis, female feticide is continuing, religious-communal violence is on the rise, untouchabilty is still a reality, child labor is widely practiced etc.

Therefore, there is a lot needs to be done for the situation to improve. And without changing the mind set and beliefs of the people it is a very difficult task. For this purpose educating people about various social problems and sensitizing them towards changing their way of thinking is the best way forward. Because without people trying to change themselves, any governmental or non-governmental efforts will prove as a half-measure. If we want to make India as a true world leader and a modern 21 st country of the world, it is imperative that that we make an improvement on our social front.

In the next pages we will discuss some of the pressing and urgent social issues facing our country, their genesis, their outlook, efforts taken to fight them and present scenario etc.

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Social Issues

Make Your Note

Socio-Economic Inequality in India

• 13 Dec 2021
• GS Paper - 1
• Population and Associated Issues
• Poverty and Developmental Issues
• GS Paper - 3
• Mobilization of Resources

This editorial is based on “Rags To Rags” which was published in Indian Express on 13/12/2021. It talks about the issues of economic-inequality in India and how it has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 Pandemic.

That India is a highly unequal economy is beyond contestation. India’s household surveys tend to massively underreport consumption, income and wealth.

Moreover, it’s hard to dispute the notion that Covid-19 has deepened existing faultlines, exacerbating entrenched inequalities.

The rise in the fortunes of the very rich during this period, when juxtaposed against the misery of the millions of migrant workers who had to walk back to their villages, is a stark reminder of the extent of economic disparities.

In this context, the latest edition of the World Inequality Report (2022) serves as a useful reminder of the concentration of income at the very top of the pyramid.

• However, the country is also marked by high levels of inequalities in “opportunities”.
• Characterised by low levels of social mobility across generations, children born in disadvantaged households have a lower chance of moving up the income ladder.
• According to the report, India is now among the most unequal countries in the world.
• Within the top 10%, the very elite top 1% earns 22%.
• In comparison, the share of the bottom 50% in national income has declined to 13%.
• The female labour income share is equal to 18% which is significantly lower than the average in Asia [21%, excluding China].
• Younger children from low-income households were more deprived of mediums of learning such as smartphones, tablets, internet etc.
• Moreover, over a fourth of children in households with a smartphone could not access it.
• In the same period, the unemployment rate has risen from 7.5% to 8.6% which implies that among those looking for jobs, those unable to find jobs, perhaps even at lower wages , have risen.
• The growing “casualisation” or “contractualisation” of the workforce implies an absence of well-paying, productive jobs.

Way Forward

• This Model consists of effective welfare safety nets for all, corruption-free governance, the fundamental right to quality education & healthcare, high taxes for the rich , etc.
• It will also erode the structural inequality and sectarian divides in society.
• Given the large volume of wealth concentration, modest progressive taxes can generate significant revenues for governments.
• A global effective wealth tax rate of 1.2% for wealth over $1 million could generate revenues of 2.1% of global income.
• By ensuring universal access to public funded high quality services like Public health and education, social security benefits, employment guarantee schemes, inequality can be reduced to a great extent.
• Labor-intensive manufacturing has the potential to absorb millions of people who are leaving farming while the service sector tends to benefit the urban middle class.
• Mitigating Wage Inequalities : The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommends that a minimum wage floor should be set in a manner that balances the needs of workers and their families with broader economic factors.
• Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes should be motivated to become entrepreneurs, schemes like Stand up India need to be expanded to widen its reach by increasing funding.
• Encouraging more women to become entrepreneurs will provide a long-term solution.
• By creating jobs and furthering investment in health and education, entrepreneurship among women could transform India’s economy and society.
• It is clear that Covid-19 pandemic has more severely affected the vulnerable section of the society, especially in terms of employment and education. Concerted efforts are required, for ensuring enabling conditions for these sections to be educated and employed along with social security provisions, to provide them a level playing field in the labour market.
• Moreover, wealth taxes on the super-rich and a robust redistribution regime could arrest, if not reverse, the current trend of rising inequality.