It’s raining ‘guarantees’ in various states these days and there can be only one explanation for it: elections are round the corner. But this promise has a major anomaly — it relies on the 2011 census and thus underestimates the number of beneficiaries. Some call these offers ‘rewdis’ or unwanted doles, others call it an affirmative action necessitated by inflation in a tattered economy. ADVERTISEMENTThe point to note, however, is a broader one: there seems to be a consensus about the fact that the poor in rural and urban India are faring badly and unemployment and unemployability are proving to be a twin curse. Small guarantees won’t make any difference unless India creates enough guaranteed work opportunities while keeping in mind ecological and environmental sustainability in the era of climate change.

Source: The Telegraph November 17, 2023 12:39 UTC