Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Census data disturbing” (July 6). The findings of independent India’s first Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 are worrisome. It is shocking that even after more than 65 years of freedom, nearly 11 crore people live in distress, more than half the families in rural areas depend on manual casual labour as their primary source of income; and manual scavenging exists.
In all, 60 per cent of rural India lives in distress, due to lack of literacy. In rural India, education, electricity, potable water, roads and health infrastructure are extremely poor.
This is a clear indication that the policies of various Governments of the past, supposedly the poor, have failed miserably. The share meant for the poor dos not often reach the needy; it gets pilfered along the way by middlemen and corrupt officials. It is a sad state of affairs.
Scientific ways should be explored to see that the lot of the poor and the downtrodden is improved. This issue should get the most urgent attention of Union and State Governments.