-The Hindu Spells of impoverishment during the pandemic were not infrequent, and lower castes and minorities bore the brunt of it Few observations survive the test of time. Fewer gain significance over time. Engel’s Law is a case in point. A version is that the poorer a family, “the greater the proportion of the total outgo which must be used for food. The proportion of the outgo used for food, other things...

-The Hindu The farmers’ movement has strengthened the bonds between muslims and Jats in western Uttar Pradesh The revival of grassroots secularism in western Uttar Pradesh, which is lifting the veil of fear for muslims, is among the most rewarding benefits of the farmer’s movement in north India. The movement strengthened the social and cultural bonds between Jats and muslims whose communal harmony of many decades took a beating during the violence...

-Deccan Herald The life expectancy for Dalits and Adivasis is similar to those of the poorest countries in the world The life expectancies of Adivasis and Dalits in India are significantly lower than upper-caste Hindus, a new study reported using decade-old government data on 20 million individuals from nine states. The life expectancy differences of more than four years in Adivasis, three years in Dalits and one year among muslims as against upper-caste...

-The Hindu Hunger Watch-2 finds income dip and hunger, despite no national lockdown. India’s second wave that didn’t see a national lockdown like in the first failed to significantly alleviate economic distress and hunger among the poor, according to a survey of 6,500 respondents in 14 States. The survey, Hunger Watch–2, was commissioned by the Right To Food Campaign and The Centre for Equity Studies from December–2021 to January 2022 to evaluate economic...

-Press release by the Right to Food Campaign Secretariat dated February 23, 2022 * 66 percent respondents said that their income has decreased compared to the pre-pandemic period * 80 percent reported some form of food insecurity, 25 percent reported severe food insecurity * 41 percent said that nutritional quality of their diet deteriorated compared to the pre-pandemic period * 67 percent could not afford cooking gas in the month preceding the survey. * 45...