RSS raises concern about unemployment in India; terms poverty as 'demon-like challenge'

New Delhi: Asserting that poverty is posing as a "demon-like challenge in front of us", the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday (October 2, 2022) raised concern about alleged rising income inequality and unemployment in the country. 

"...We should be sad that 20 crore people are below the poverty line. And 23 crore people are earning less than Rs 375 per day. Poverty is a demon-like challenge in front of us. It is important that we put to death this demon," RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.

Besides poverty, "inequality and unemployment are other two challenges that need to be addressed", he said.

"There are four crore unemployed people in the country, 2.2 crore in rural areas and 1.8 crore in urban areas. A Labour force survey pegs the unemployment rate at 7.6 per cent... We not only need all-India schemes but also local schemes for generating employment," he said.

He blamed the "faulty' economic policies of the earlier governments for the "ills" in the economy.

Hosabale, however, said that several steps have been taken in the last few years to address this challenge. He also appreciated the efforts for "atmanirbharta" and several other initiatives of the Union government such as FPO, Jan Dhan, and programmes related to healthcare and digital revolution.

He also suggested reviving cottage industries and more initiatives in skill development sector to further increase its penetration in rural areas.

On inequality, he wondered whether it is a good thing that despite being one of the top six economies, half of the country's population has only 13 per cent of the total income.

"....India is among the top six economies of the world. Top one per cent of India's population has one fifth of the nation's income. And at the same time, the country's 50 per cent population gets only 13 per cent of the total income," Hosabale said asking, is this a "good situation?"

(With agency inputs)