New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Sunday expressed concerns over rising income inequality and unemployment in the country as he asserted that poverty is posing as a "demon-like challenge in front of us."
Hosabale, however, went on to say that several steps have been taken in the last few years to address this challenge, news agency PTI reported.
Sddressing a webinar organised by Sangh affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), the RSS general secretary said that he appreciates the efforts for 'atmanirbharta' (self-reliance) and several other initiatives of the Union government such as FPO, Jan Dhan, and programmes related to healthcare and digital revolution.
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"...We should be sad that 20 crore people are below 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," Hosabale said, as quoted by PTI.
He pinned the blame on the previous governments for the "faulty' economic policies responsible for the "ills" in the economy.
Besides poverty, "inequality and unemployment are other two challenges need to be addressed", the RSS leader said.
"There are four crore unemployed people in the country, 2.2 crore in rural areas and 1.8 crore in urban areas. 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 added, as per PTI.
Dattatreya Hosabale also recommended reviving cottage industries and more initiatives in the skill development sector to enhance its penetration in rural areas.
On inequality, he asked if 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,” he said asking, is this a "good situation?", as reported by PTI.
The RSS general secretary stressed the need to generate jobs at the rural level and said that SJM has launched 'Swavalambi Bharat Abhiyan' with this aim.
He further said that the SJM will try to undertake new initiatives in agriculture and allied sectors through this campaign, and provide skill development and marketing at the village level.
(With Agency Inputs)