1. Economic crisis
It is not just about the mergers of banks and the government borrowing huge money (Rs. 1.76 lakh crore) from the RBI, the central bank. India is facing one of its worst economic crises ever. There is a recession (a severe drop in spending). People are not buying homes, cars or anything fancy because either they do not have any money or they want to hold on to their savings. The manufacturing sector is hit because there is less demand.
2. Unemployment
There is a record high of unemployment in the past 45 years. The current unemployment rate is 6.1%. Economists point to the 2016 demonetization as the primary reason behind this. The private sector is tightening spending and there is no significant salary hike offered to people. Several private sector companies are closing down their manufacturing units and / or sacking their employees.
3. Illiteracy
Oxfam says India is home to the largest population of illiterate adults (287 million) in the world. As many as 47.7% of the out of school children are girls. This will have a ripple effect on the next generation. Bihar, Jharkhand and and Uttar Pradesh are among the bottom five states in terms of illiteracy of Dalits.
4. Healthcare
By 2030, 140 million households are expected to enter the middle class. The Indian healthcare industry will face huge challenges due to a rapid increase in patient volume. According to a WHO report, there is only one government doctor for every 10,189 people in India. The recommended ratio is 1:1,100.
5. Women’s safety
The Thomson-Reuters Foundation released a report in 2018 that said India was the most dangerous country in the world for women. Various issues such as high incidences of sexual violence, lack of access to justice in rape cases, child marriage, female feticide and human trafficking have contributed to this. Interestingly, India outranked such countries as Syria and Afghanistan — second and third — that are currently at war.
